


Traitorous Loyalty

by bluemisfortune



Category: Kakumeiki Valvrave | Valvrave the Liberator
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-11-19
Updated: 2018-11-20
Packaged: 2019-02-04 08:24:26
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 26
Words: 125,000
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12766965
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bluemisfortune/pseuds/bluemisfortune
Summary: Absolute loyalty. What that promise actually means is only just starting to become clear. A bond of trust that their lives now rest upon more than ever. The strength to turn away from what they once held most precious. And, of course, the question of who that loyalty was actually promised to.





	1. The Icy Depths

 H-neun is sulking.

 X-eins hasn’t seen him since they left training early that morning. It’s childish and slightly annoying. Obviously H-neun still thinks he’s a child who needs protecting. No doubt he’s poking around trying to figure out how to protect X-eins and what the manor at Granau is really like. As if X-eins isn’t capable of dealing with anything that might spring up. As if they haven’t had the exact same training. As if Cain would ever lead them into anything they couldn’t handle. He recognises their strengths and knows their limits.

 The manor is certainly impressive. Not that X-eins takes much time to look at it while he’s searching for Cain. But there are long corridors and suits of armour. Huge room after huge room. Daunting and empty. He almost expected to have met H-neun on his way, demanding he reconsider but there’s no sign of him. Perhaps he’s finally learnt X-eins isn’t a child who needs his constantly protection. At last.

 

 Finally, Cain is inside what looks like some kind of meeting hall. X-eins pauses in the doorway. Whatever’s going on is obviously important. Not only is Cain there, but around the table around figures in strange black robes. There are others like them around the room. There’s suddenly a hint a nerves. This really is a big deal.

 “X-eins.” At Cain’s call, X-eins steps in slowly. His trust in Cain is unwavering but this is obviously important. He steps forward to join Cain in front of the table. “Don’t be nervous. You’ve been chosen for a great honour.”

 “I know,” X-eins replies.

 “You really don’t,” Cain says. “You honestly have no idea how important this is, or what an honour is to be bestowed on you.” He smiles calmly and gestures to the table. “These are the leaders of the Council of 101.”

 X-eins nods slightly. He’s never heard of them but that would be rather rude to say so. So he just nods along as if it makes sense. Cain’s hand rests on his shoulder, keeping him steady and calm. Cain will tell him what he needs to know.

 “It’s alright,” Cain says. “You don’t know who they are. You’re not expected to. These are the people who control the world from the shadows. The most powerful men and women in the world.” Cain squeezes his shoulder firmly. “And you, X-eins, have been chosen to join them.”

 “Join them?” X-eins repeats.

 “That’s right.” X-eins turns to the calm voice from one at the table. Cain squeezes his shoulder again and X-eins decides he's probably just imagining the green crystal in the cage shaking. “We keep a close eye on the youngster of this world. Karlstein has proven an effective place to cultivate the type of young minds we require.”

 “I’m honoured,” he says quietly. “But I’m not sure I’m in any position to-”

 “Of course you are,” Cain says firmly. X-eins glances up at him and Cain smiles back. “Consider it an apprenticeship. Another step to your education. To learn and become a member one day.”

 “I really am honoured,” X-eins murmurs.

 And H-neun thought this was going to be some kind of fate worse than death for him. He watches too many of those trashy movies imported from ARUS. It makes him suspicious and paranoid and overly protective. As if everything is secretly a conspiracy. When he next sees him, he's going to make sure H-neun finds better dates to take girls on that don't make X-eins' life harder as a result.

 

 Cain’s smile softens a little. “I’m certainly not opposed to friendship.”

 “I don’t-”

 “That’s what you’re thinking about, isn’t it? _Who_ you’re thinking about?” X-eins frowns. _H-neun._ How _would_ H-neun feel about this? “You’d miss him. But surely he’ll be glad for you. A friend wouldn’t hold you back from progressing into an incredible career. That’s what you’re thinking, no?”

 It never ceases to amaze X-eins just how well Cain can read and understand him. Or anyone for that matter. He really is incredible.

 One of the council stands and X-eins straightens up. Cain squeezes his shoulder tighter and he swallows any nerves as he’s approached. It’s fine. Cain is right beside him. They’re just a council. Bureaucrats. Nothing to be worried about. Even if they probably can make or break his entire military career within seconds.

 “Life has been long and this body is starting to grow weak,” the councilor says. “It’s vital that there are new, young, strong bodies to keep the council’s work continuing.” Boney fingers grip his chin and jerk his head up. X-eins gazes back, careful to keep his gaze steady but not challenging. “This is the young intellectual you promised me?”

 “One of my best students,” Cain replies."I'm very proud of him."

  _One of his best students._ X-eins feels like he should be more pleased by that phrase than he is. Something feels off. H-neun always said he should listen to his instincts. They’d been trained to know when something is wrong. They should listen to their training. Hadn’t he always scoffed at H-neun’s insistence that he knew when something felt off though? Even though that was what they had been trained to do?

 “You’re thinking about him again,” Cain says.

 X-eins frowns. He shouldn’t be surprised. Cain’s always been near enough a mindreader but this is starting to make him a little uncomfortable. Still, he _is_ right. And it is bugging him. H-neun got on his nerves constantly but the two of them had always been together. Always. How’s he supposed to take a step like this without him? Logic tells him it's part of growing up. He can't hang onto H-neun forever and it's childish and naive to think so, but that doesn't stop a childish part of him wishing he could.

 “He won’t notice. A little extra work after hours. Some extra studies. Nothing out of the ordinary.”

 This doesn’t feel like nothing out of the ordinary, but X-eins nods anyway.

 Suddenly X-eins would give anything to have H-neun beside him, cracking jokes as ever. He never takes any situation seriously. That’s just what he needs about now. Something light to break this heavy mood.

_H-neun._

 Why is it all X-eins can think right now is how much he longs for H-neun to smile back at him and tell him everything is going to be alright?

 He’ll go find H-neun after this is over. Apologise for being so cold. Explain himself. H-neun is his best friend really, no matter how cold he is at times. All he ever does is try to protect him. He really is an idiot. X-eins honestly wishes he was strong enough to do the same. Just like Cain had told them.

 

 “Then let the ritual begin.”

 “Ritual?” X-eins repeats.

 “Old fashioned tradition,” Cain replies. “Did you think any ancient council would do things without fanfare and ritual?”

 The sort of thing that comes straight from H-neun’s films and books. The sort of thing that happened in those ridiculous films where the world controlled by a shady council and the heroes saved everyone.

_H-neun._

 Why is H-neun all he thinks about even now?

 Hands snatch at his arms and his head is jerked back. What?! What are they-

 Cain restrains him with minimal effort. It’s embarrassing how weak he is when presented with Cain’s strength. He struggles against Cain’s hold but there’s no luck. The councilor unbuttons X-eins collar, pulling it from his throat.

 “Don’t be afraid,” Cain says softly. “You’ve been raised for this role. Your friend will certainly be looked after. He won't even notice. Perhaps, if the opportunity comes up, he’ll join you.”

_H-neun._

 X-eins eyes fall shut. He’s never going to see H-neun again. H-neun’s never going to know what’s happened to him. He’s never going to understand. The chants around him and ominous and obvious. Discard the body and take a new one. It all makes sense. Well, it doesn't. It's crazy and illogical and absolutely insane, straight out of a terrible fantasy flick. But it's right in front of him. The undeniable truth. They were raised to be vessels for this council, whatever they actually are. His body is going to be taken from him, used by this creature. If H-neun ever saw him again, they wouldn’t be the same. Even if it somehow retained his memories, or instincts, it wouldn’t understand.

 He’d like to think H-neun would know. That feels like some comfort. He's sure H-neun would realise instantly. This thing that would steal his body would never understand the intricacies of their relationship. The bond that came from over a decade of relying on one another. It would never understand the simple gestures. The little things. H-neun would never be tricked by some cheap imitation.

 

 Fangs - actual fangs, they’re vampires, _e_ _xactly_ like H-neun’s trashy movies - brush his throat. Hot breath falls over his skin. X-eins is sure this all must be happening much faster than it feel. This must be what it feels like to know you're going to die. They said time slowed and your life flashed before your eyes. Is this what that's like?

 There are boney fingers in his hair and around his wrist, as if he can struggle with Cain holding him like this.

 “I’m glad you’re taking this so well,” Cain says softly in his ear.

 Taking it so well? He has no other options! He’s so completely trapped. He can’t reach his weapons and even if he could, he can’t defeat Cain like this.

 X-eins fingers twitch, wishing he could brush against H-neun’s warm fingers, just like he always did whenever he was nervous. He wishes more than anything he could brush up against H-neun’s hand and H-neun would glance over and smile in that typically charming way that’s just him.  That perfect smile that would make his every fear vanish. Discreet and private. A tiny gesture between the two of them.

_H-neun._

 “I did mean it, by the way,” Cain continues. As if this really is some fond last farewell rather than Cain luring him into a trap to have his entire being devoured by some monster! “You are one of my best students and I am very proud of you. I’d certainly give you a grade A. I'm glad you bought the deception until the very end. You didn't deserve to suffer longer than necessary.”

 

 Pain shoots through him, burning from his neck and X-eins jerks back without even thinking, only to be held still. His own scream is echoing around the chamber, chanting drowning it out after a long moment. His knees almost give out but he’s held up. Easy for the councilor to get to. He’s going to die. He’s going to be taken over by this thing and his entire being is going to be cast side.

 Is Cain one of them? Or is Cain just following orders? Has Cain, who raised them and protected them and was a father to them all, really just raised them for this one purpose? How could he say all these things - that he was proud of him, that he didn't deserve to suffer - and then stand there holding him still as his body is stolen by one of these creatures?!

 X-eins eyes crack open. There’s a green light. He wants to see him again. He wants to see H-neun again. Even if it is the last time. His fingers stretch out weakly as he weakens. As if by some miracle the world will allow him to see him one last time. As if his fingers will brush X-eins once more.

_Please. Just one more time._

 “...H-neun...”

 “ _X!_ ”

 

 Time snaps together. Gun shots echo through the room. The hands around him fall away and the fangs around at his neck are torn out. Without anyone holding him and his strength gone, X-eins hits the floor on his knees. His head tilts back, gazing back at the door. H-neun? It’s really H-neun?

 “X, let’s go.”

 X-eins’ fingers close around H-neun’s without hesitation. Even if he’s already dead or this is a last dying dream, he trusts H-neun. Always. So when he pulls him up, X-eins follows, putting all his strength into getting himself to his feet and running with H-neun. He probably wouldn’t be able to stand, let alone run, if it wasn’t for H-neun pulling him along. He can already hear yelling for them to be caught. _Cain_ will be coming after them.

 X-eins squeezes H-neun’s hand and H-neun glances back over his shoulder, flashing that same reassuring smile that he always does. That everything’s fine smile. And, just as always, X-eins is sure that they’ll be ok, because H-neun is by his side.

 There’s another shot and H-neun jerks and staggers, falling back against the wall. Blood splatters his face and hair and is soaking in his uniform around his shoulder.

 “H-neun,” X-eins hisses, pushing H-neun’s head up to meet his gaze. “Focus. Come on. Remember your training. Focus and keep pushing through the pain.” As much at advice to himself as H-neun. Fall back on their training, that's fine. That's better than thinking about being in this supernatural nightmare. “You and me, we’re going to escape together, nothing else matters.”

 H-neun’s eyes clear a little and he nods, grabbing X-eins’ hand once more. “Here’ll do.”

 “Here? What?”

 “Enough games, boys,” Cain calls, approaching with his gun raised. X-eins steps closer to H-neun. It’s him they want. For once he can protect H-neun. He can use himself as a shield. Cain pauses and smiles. “I do appreciate and respect the bond between you. Good friends really are important as you grow older. Willing to give everything for each other. You both earn your S grades, but this is enough. Step apart and surrender and you can both live. Or rather, surrender peacefully, X-eins, and H-neun will live as long as he’s silent.”

 “No,” H-neun snaps, eyes narrowed with a furious fire.

 H-neun squeezes X-eins' hand tighter and pulls him away across the hall to the window. X-eins glances down at the raging river that forms the manor’s moat, with chunks of ice floating passed, blocking any hope of escape if they even survive the fall. But H-neun flashes that smile again. If this is H-neun's plan, he's not impressed. But then, he supposes beggers can't choosers. It's not as if there are any other obvious options, especially with Cain facing them like this.

 “I’d never keep quiet,” H-neun whispers, pulling X-eins closer. They’re really going to jump? Even Cain is frowning. They're starting to concern their mentor. X-eins doesn't blame him. This is absolutely crazy. And yet he's going along with it? “I’d rather die at your side.”

 “H-neun…”

 “You’re irrelevant, H-neun,” Cain says. “While it’s more hassle to heal X-eins and we’d much rather do it quietly, we don’t need your cooperation. Sentimentality will only get you so far. This is your last warning before I remove you, H-neun, and take you by force, X-eins.”

 “What they’d do to me… that’s death anyway…” X-eins murmurs. “But I can protect you. You’d never accept that though, would you?” H-neun shakes his head and X-eins folds his glasses away in his inside pocket. “Together then.”

 “Don’t tell me you two are honestly choosing death together?”

 They couldn’t fight even if they wanted to, not in the state they’re both in. One of the first things they were taught was to assess a situation realistically and pick their battles. X-eins is sapped of strength and can barely stand without. H-neun’s shoulder would impede any hope of fighting, he’s losing blood and already looks almost as bad as X-eins feels.

 They’ll chance the river.

 Together.

 “Such dedication,” Cain sighs as H-nen pulls X-eins back over the open window ledge. “I don’t dislike that.”

 

 They’re weightless for a few long moments before they’re hit by a wall of water so cold it hurts. The only thing keeping X-eins conscious and focused enough to move is H-neun’s hand around his, pulling him along under the water.

 A huge iron grate looms above them and H-neun pulls them through. It’s dark beyond the grate and the current is stronger but they keep moving until H-neun finally pulls him up to the surface. They’re in an underground vault or drain or something. Just a large empty chamber under the manor. But there’s a bag on the ledge. H-neun had already prepared for this. They’re exactly where H-neun wants them to be. Or at least somewhere he considered an option.

 H-neun’s shoulder is already starting to bleed through his uniform again as they pull themselves onto the ledge. X-eins can cleary make out the red against the stark white of their uniforms even without glasses. He reaches out but H-neun pushes his hand away.

 “You first.”

 “I’m fine,” X-eins says firmly. “Just tired. Let me get that bullet out.”

 “Your neck, X-”

 He shakes his head and H-neun sighs. His neck isn't that bad. The wound from the fangs seem realitively shallow and clean, the only tearing from where the councilor was shot and jerked away. It's not even bleeding. He'll clean it after he's finished tending to H-neun.

 “We need to get out of these cold, wet clothes and warm up so we can rest and you need that shoulder looked at. There’s nothing else we can do right now anyway.”

 “It's impressive you're this calm when faced with body snatching vampires,” H-neun laughs weakly as X-eins puts his glasses back on. “Even trying to get me undressed.”

 “I’m glad it looks that way,” X-eins says dryly, not entirely sure which comment it's in response to. “Now, shut up and don't move too much.”

 There’s time for freaking out later. Right now, X-eins has no choice but to treat this like any other mission and worry about what actually just happened later. He’s pretty sure he’s going to be freaking out about this when he's not running on autopilot. There’s a lot of things to freak out about. And a lot of things that don’t really make that much sense. Or are even possible by any stretch of logic.

 Focusing on familiar things he’s been trained for - like fixing up H-neun and escaping from behind enemy lines - is the best option for now.

 

 So X-eins unbuttons H-neun’s uniform as carefully as he can with trembling, half numb fingers. He must be as much of a mess as H-neun, if not more. They’re both exhausted from the ordeal but all they can keep doing is working as they’ve been taught. And ignoring that Cain is the man that taught them everything. There’s no way he won’t know their every plan.

 “H-neun, you neck,” X-eins whispers, all thoughts of Cain vanishing. His fingers brush H-neun’s bruised neck and H-neun jerks away slightly. X-eins’ hand hesitated. “H-neun…?”

 Is this really H-neun? Or has X-eins’ been tricked? He frowns a little, watching H-neun’s fingers brush his own neck. There’s a strange, awkward look in his eyes X-eins doesn’t quite understand. Reading H-neun has got harder as they’ve grown but, even so, X-eins has never been so confused by a simple look of guilt and pain.

 “Are you... really H-neun…?” H-neun nods a little and X-eins frowns. “You wouldn’t tell me even if you weren’t.”

 “You got bitten too,” H-neun murmurs. “What if you’re not X-eins either?”

 X-eins’ frown deepens a little. How are either of them supposed to prove they’re them? Much as X-eins had hoped H-neun would know instantly if he was ever not him, now they’re facing the situation, X-eins doesn’t know how to be sure. He think it’s the real H-neun. Something about him feels right, but how can he be sure?

 They gaze at each other for a moment before H-neun smiles and X-eins’ shoulder relax a little. That dumb smile that promises everything will be ok. The same smile that made him act like an idiot and follow him out the window. His H-neun. _Definitely._

 “When you get nervous, you always touch my hand,” H-neun whispers. X-eins nods a little. He did wonder if H-neun had ever actually noticed or if it was just a natural reaction whenever X-eins did it. “You always reach out to me, no matter where we are or who’s around, and touch my hand so I’ll smile at you.”

 “That’s not-” H-neun frowns and tilts his head. “That’s not _why_ I do it. But, you’re right, that is how it always goes.”

 “Then, why do you...” H-neun sighs and shakes his head. “Nevermind. You’re allowed your mysteries. But you still have to prove you’re you.”

 “From what I’ve see of that council and their kind, they heal quickly,” X-eins says. “If either of us was possessed by one of those things, I imagine we wouldn’t still be injured.”

 “They fed on us,” H-neun mutters. “Like vampires.”

 “Just like vampires,” he agrees.

 H-neun laughs a little and X-eins blinks as their fingers brush. “Typical of you to use that logical bullshit to prove you’re you rather than actually say something emotional and personal.”

 “Would you rather I shared some dark secret that only we know?” X-eins says quietly.

 “No,” H-neun says. “No, that was perfectly you.”

 “You can debrief me on your encounter later,” he says, pulling over the bag and digging out the medic kit he’s glad H-neun is smart enough to bring. “For now, we both need to deal with surviving.”

 H-neun nods and lets him focus, helping as much as he can. They need to get this all done before they both succumb to exhaustion and hypothermia. They’ve been trained for survival situations but dealing with it under this pressure is something else. They can only hope that they’ve slipped under Cain’s radar and he doesn’t know where they are and how they think.

 

 Performing what is, realistically, minor field surgery with trembling, frozen fingers and a small knife is not easy. They’re wrapped in thick woolen blankets and half redressed and every few minutes X-eins has to press his hands to a thermal pack again to stop  them trembling. H-neun is biting down on his leather belt to keep him as silent as possible so as not to give away their location. Realistically, it would be easier on H-neun if he did pass out from the pain or exhaustion, but X-eins is comforted by the fact he's awake, even if he is in pain. It’s during this time X-eins notices just how bruised H-neun is. Whatever encounter he had with the council, it seems to have been rougher than X-eins’.

 “How are you feeling?” X-eins murmurs as he’s strapping up H-neun’s shoulder.

 “Like I want to sleep,” H-neun breathes.

 “Hold it together as long as you can,” he says firmly, helping H-neun on with his fresh, slightly warmer shirt. He wraps the blankets around H-neun's shoulders and sits back to clean off the small injuries on his own neck. “I don’t want you to sleep until you’re warmer.”

 “Sure, sure.”

 “I can’t believe you came this prepared. You do listen to me when I tell you stuff. I'm amazed.”

 This H-neun is very different to the child who'd pulled him away and got him into a mess that required Cain to save them as a child. Of course, he shouldn't be surprised that H-neun has learnt his lessons and grown up, he sort of is. Perhaps he's just flattered that H-neun has pulled out all the stops just to save him. He pulls out another heat pack and snaps it to get it warming. H-neun smiles and their hands wrap around it together, the pair resting against one another comfortably. X-eins has to admit he’s starting fall into exhaustion as well. They can’t really stay awake forever, certainly not in the state they’re in, but they can’t sleep just yet.

 “I knew that going down this road would likely end in me being declared a traitor,” H-neun says softly.

 “But you did it anyway?” X-eins says.

 “You followed me.”

 “I had a choice between being possessed or being declared a traitor. Not much of a choice.” He sighs and tilts his head. “But you did have a choice. You could have just ignored what was going on and you’d have been fine. You didn’t have to do this.”

 “I didn’t,” H-nen murmurs. “But then I wouldn’t have you. Besides, if you got possessed, how am I supposed to have as many girls? You're the best wingman I could ask for. In all senses.”

 “I can't believe you actually just said that.”

 “True though. No thousand year old ghost-vampire-thing is ever going to be half as good as you. Except maybe if they just looked dorky so I looked better. I could make it work.”

 “Idiot,” X-eins says, but there's no bite in his voice.

 He's actually glad for H-neun's ridiculous, light-hearted attitude. He had been craving his laughter and silliness to make things easier. H-neun laughs softly and presses closer against X-eins side, pulling the blankets tighter.

 “You’re so warm,” X-eins says with a frown. “Even now. Why are you always so warm?”

 H-neun’s laughter grows a little more and he leans into X-eins shoulder. They can talk more once they’re both more awake and aware. Right now, being curled up with H-neun, surviving a little longer, that’s enough. Their life expectancy is looking decidedly shorter than it did that morning, X-eins thinks its best to hang onto what's right in front of him while he can. 

 

 “Remember back at when we were training out in the field… you’d used to hide the blankets of the girls you liked…” H-neun chuckles and glances up at him and X-eins smiles back. “Just so you could sweep in and offer to share your blanket and your body heat.”

 “Worked nine times out of ten,” H-neun laughs. “Never worked on you though.”

 “You said that was Q-vier,” X-eins snaps, smacking his arm. He completely ignores H-neun's complaints about being injured. He didn't smack him that hard anyway. “You used to get my blanket from his bed when I got annoyed. I used to get so mad at him. I can’t believe you let him take the blame.”

 “It never worked though.”

 “Why would you even try with me?” X-eins’ cheeks warm a little at the implications, pushing up his glasses and glancing away. “I’m not some cute girl for you to tease.” H-neun just smiles, eyes closed as he leans into X-eins’ shoulder. X-eins frowns and pokes his hand lightly. “H-neun?”

 “Because for some reason I just can't explain, you’re my best friend,” H-neun replies with a yawn. “And any excuse be close to you is a good one.”

 “You really are ridiculous,” he sighs. “Everything that's happened here and you're still the thing that makes the least amount of sense to me.”

 “It's part of my charm,” he murmurs.

 “I'm sure.”

 “Honestly, it got harder to get close to you as we got older. I always slept best next to you. No matter how it started after... Well, you know. That meant a lot, you know.”

  After F-sech.

 H-neun doesn't have to say and X-eins isn't going to either. Ignoring F-sech tends to be the best solution for keeping them all sane. Ignore but never forget. Their dark secret. A passing comment and nothing more. The first night X-eins climbed into bed with H-neun and laid against his back, a quiet comfort to them both. X-eins nods, rather than bothering with a comment, and brushes H-neun’s hair back from where it had fallen over his face. The smile he gets in return is incredibly satisfying. It warms his chest in a way he isn't sure he's felt before.

 “The ice should freeze over enough to get across early morning. We both need to get our strength back before that though.”

 “You rest,” X-eins says. “I’ll keep first watch.”

 “It’s Cain,” H-neun laughs weakly. That's no reason to throw all their training out the window like idiots. Although, as he thinks that, an unhelpful voice in the back of X-eins' mind reminds him that he and H-neun  _did_ just jump _out of a window_ into a freezing river  _like idiots_ , so really who's he to judge? “Keeping watch won’t do any good. If he’s found us, we’re done for whether we see him or not.”

 X-eins nods reluctantly. H-neun is right, much as he doesn't want to admit it. If Cain knows where they are and wants to take action, there’s not much they can do at full strength, let alone like this. They really have got themselves into a terrible mess. The closer to sleep X-eins gets, the more everything starts piling up. That freak out he'd put off earlier is creeping up on him. _Cain_ \- their mentor and father figure and commanding officer and savior, their _everything_ \- had set them up- set _him_ up for this. He'd raised them from Karlstein to be bodies for the council. He said he was proud of him as he held him still to be put to death.

 There's a part of X-eins still can't believe Cain would ever do this to them. There must be some other explanation. X-eins just can't figure out what and he doubts puzzling it over for hours on end right now is going to help.

 “We'll both get some rest and be up before sunrise then.”


	2. A Valiant Hero

 He’s not himself anymore. Everything he’d once been has been stripped away. Like he’d never existed before this day. Not that it’s any loss to the world. Just another body in that ruined little town. Even if he hadn’t been all alone, there would have been no one to mourn his loss. He had only one person left to rely on in the world and he’s supposed to let that go. A new, blank slate for Dorssia to mold as they wished.

 He stands with the others, those who’d survived and were chosen. His ID tag hangs heavy around his neck. The new him. Nothing more than a code name. The only name he’ll ever truly have again.

_X-eins Karlstein._

 There are quiet footsteps as another comes up beside him. X-eins glances up to be met by familiar, calming green eyes and a reassuring smile. They’re not supposed to know each other. The past is the past and is forgotten. That’s alright.

 They’ll just have to make friends all over again, won’t they?

 In the silence and stillness, X-eins catches the boy next to him lifting his ID tag discreetly so he can see. _H9._ X-eins smiles and adjusts his glasses as a cover for doing the same, letting his own tag catch the boy’s eye. _X1._ H-neun smiles back at him, nodding discreetly. The children who’d once played in the fields together in the middle of nowhere, who’d lost everyone in one fell swoop, might have to be forgotten and left behind but that’s alright. H-neun and X-eins can carry on side by side in their place.

 And then there he is standing in front of them. _Colonel Cain._

 

 X-eins wakes with hazy memories of the past. It’s not an unusual thing. H-neun’s vibrant smile never changes, and on days where X-eins is struggling to sleep, especially out in the field, he couldn’t be more grateful for that. His warm, sunny smile and bright green eyes and laughter in his voice. The utter certainty that everything would be ok as long as they were together. Mornings like this, after nights like that, those memories are clearer than ever.

 H-neun shifts from under X-eins.

 “Where are you going?”

 “Ah, sorry, X,” H-neun laughs quietly. X-eins smiles. H-neun really is here. They’re safe and together. “I didn’t mean to wake you.”

 “I shouldn’t have fallen asleep,” he replies, sitting up slowly. It wasn’t a dream. They really did run from Cain and a council of body snatching vampires. And for that, they’re going to be declared traitors to Dorssia. “How’s your shoulder?”

 “It’s fine,” he says, shaking his head. “I was just going to check the ice before waking you.” X-eins frowns. “If you want, you can start packing up. There’s even a spare bag.”

 “Impressed as I am that you’ve planned so well, you’re not carrying a bag on that shoulder.”

 He’ll look after H-neun where he can. He knows the idiot won’t listen, he never does, but it’s the least he can do to carry the bag. H-neun has packed reassuringly light but thoroughly. He really had been set in his path and the knowledge that he was going to be declared a traitor. All for X-eins’ sake.

 “The ice is good,” H-neun says upon return. “And there’s no sign of look outs.”

 “Best case scenario; we didn’t surface in sight and they think we’re dead or are searching the river,” X-eins says. H-neun nods and X-eins pulls the bag onto his shoulders. “Worst case; Cain has already figured out we’ve hidden under their noses, ordered the lookouts to stay out of sight and is waiting for us to break cover.”

 “Most likely; they’ve spread out to search along the river bank assuming we’ll break straight away and not risk being caught on site.”

 X-eins smiles. Just like they were taught at Karlstein. This H-neun is so different to the idiot who dragged him out to be saved by Cain without any prior planning. X-eins wonders if he’s grown up that much too. He hasn’t really noticed. He wonders if H-neun notices a difference in him though, like X-eins’ notices the changes in him.

 He checks his weapons one last time - out of sight but easily reachable - and gives H-neun a glance over to make sure he’s ready too. He looks good. Even if he is holding his arm a little awkwardly.

 

 H-neun’s fingers brush his and X-eins jerks straighter, staring up at him. And H-neun just smiles back. It goes both ways, X-eins supposes.

 “H-neun, if they catch us-”

 “They won’t,” H-neun says firmly.

 “- they won’t just let us off. This time there won’t be any pretense or bargaining,” X-eins says.

 H-neun smiles, nods. Like this is all within expectation. Maybe it is. He’d come here expecting to be branded a traitor. Expecting that whatever the outcome, he’d be marked out to be captured or killed. No matter how close they are and what their friendship means, X-eins isn’t entirely sure why H-neun is willing to go this far. H-neun moves at incredible speed and X-eins’ body takes over before his mind can process the situation.

 Their guns rest lightly against each other’s temples and X-eins glares back at the obvious statement. So that’s the extent of H-neun’s resolve? It’s the least X-eins can do to match him. Though still not sure why H-neun will go to this extent, X-eins won’t back down. If they’re caught, they both face their own death. Karlstein had taught them, it was better to take one’s own life and take your secrets to the grave then to ever give in to the enemy.

 “They won’t catch us,” H-neun says firmly. The muzzle of his pistol moves slowly down X-eins’ throat, down to rest over his heart. And for some inexplicable reason, X-eins feels an odd thrill at the threat and promise in H-neun’s voice. “I won’t let them.”

 “Alright,” X-eins says with a slight nod. He tilts his pistol away and H-neun does the same before stowing them. “They won’t catch us.”

 “Let’s go then.”

 

 They turn away and head over to the wall. If the ice is solid, they won’t be able to get up after slipping through the grate. The water will be too cold anyway. They don’t have time to do this and take time to warm up again. Cain must know as well as them, the longer they evade capture, the higher their chances of escaping completely. They can’t afford to take risks this early in the chase.

 H-neun directs him up to a rather small window above instead. It’s rather impressive H-neun can get up so easily with his shoulder, but he was always more physically capable than X-eins and they’re soon on the ice beneath. He’s right, there’s no sign of anyone on look out. But then he had noticed that the entire manor and the surrounding areas seemed empty, which makes sense now knowing what goes on in the manor.

 This doesn’t stop X-eins worrying about the possibility that Cain is waiting though. They’ve obviously discovered something they shouldn’t have, after all.

 After a few moments to make sure the ice really is solid - and it’s a little unnerving to feel it shifting beneath their feet with the river surges - the pair take off. Not that running across ice is easy. But there’s a woody thicket further on. If they can reach it, they might be able get some cover. And X-eins remembers a small town just beyond the woods.

 

 Things go without a hitch. X-eins almost can’t believe it. Cain isn’t coming after them? They’re being let go? Can they really hope to have finally outsmarted their mentor?

 “Safe,” X-eins whispers, leaning back against a tree.

 “Safe,” H-neun replies, nodding a little against another tree across from him. “There’s town ahead. Think we should go for it?”

 “Heading to civilisation runs a higher risk of being caught,” he says. H-neun nods. This is basic training but they have to talk through their options. “On the other hand, we only have limited supplies and can’t avoid people forever.”

 “We need proper shelter eventually,” he agrees. “We can do a few days out in this weather but we need shelter. Especially at night. We can’t be exposed for long. I didn’t pack for long term wilderness survival.”

 “At least in that drain, we had some shelter.”

 “We can’t go back. We already spent too long there.”

 “Then we push on,” X-eins says. “Find somewhere in town to hide out and wait. The longer we’re hidden, the further they’ll push their search area trying to find us, thinning their forces and allowing us gaps to slip through. We just have to survive these first few days. We’ll head to the town.”

 H-neun nods and they take off through the trees. H-neun goes first, still cradling his arm awkwardly, and X-eins follows, watching behind them.

 

 The woodland opens up ahead and the town comes into view. It’s still dark enough to move without being seen. They pause at the edge of the town. There are soldiers milling around. They look lazy and tired. They can just about make out complaints that any good soldier would be long gone by now. Perhaps, but he and H-neun aren’t just _good soldiers_. They’re Karlstein special forces.

 H-neun somehow manages to find a room above a tavern. He gives fake names and pays cash. X-eins finds himself amazed how well H-neun is prepared for this - which is becoming a terrible trend and he should stop being quite so surprised every time H-neun proves himself capable. They are, of course, prepared to act behind enemy lines - although he never expected it to be their own country that was now the enemy - and act under covers and assumed identities, but this all seems so surreal. They could just demand a room because they’re special agents and they will comply, but that would mean the second anyone asked if there were any agents around, they’d be found.

 So instead they’re just two young men on a journey who’d underestimated how far it was to their next stop. They even laugh as the owner warns them it’s only a room with double bed left.

 H-neun says that it’s fine as long as X-eins doesn’t toss and turn too much.

 Thankfully, X-eins is so used to sniping back at H-neun that it’s second nature no matter what his mental state and the reply comes easily. That it’s fine as long as he doesn’t wake up with H-neun’s latest girl in bed with them. Or, worse, decides to cuddle up like he’s one of his girls.

 The tavern owner laughs and drops the keys into H-neun’s hand and X-eins is glad their friendship comes in handy for things other than just mass murder.

 

 X-eins locks the door behind them and H-neun draws the curtains before slumping into the armchair. It’s a quaint little room. Old fashioned and plain. Lacking anything but the basics but it’s comfortable. It’s not home, but it’s far better than sleeping on the ground or uncomfortable camping cots or bunks. And while X-eins isn’t thrilled by the lack of tactical advantages - like escape routes or vantage points - it’s a safe, inconspicuous room they can defend if they have to and set out in a way that makes it easy to avoid being seen too obviously.

 “How’s your shoulder?” X-eins says, putting down the bag and striding over. H-neun sits up a little, letting X-eins open up his jacket and shirt to check his bandages. “You’ve not started bleeding again. That’s a good sign.”

 “You keep trying to get my shirt off,” H-neun laughs. “That’s good too.”

 X-eins glares up at him half heartedly. “What did I just say about not thinking of me as one of your girls? And that joke’s getting really old already.”

 “Really?” he murmurs, pushing X-ein’s hair back off his face lazily. “You think I could ever think of you like them?”

 X-eins frowns and tilts his head, standing slowly. “I should hope not.”

 X-eins turns away and sits on the bed, glancing out the window at the dark streets below. How long can they really stay here? How long can they hide out here? Long enough that they’ll be able to go free?

 “What’s all this about my girls anyway?” H-neun laughs. “What kind of womanizer do you think I am?”

 “I’ve been on double dates with you, Hano,” X-eins replies. “I know what kind of womanizer you are.”

 “I’m just looking for The One, you know. Can’t find them if you don’t go searching.”

 He turns back to H-neun, who’s smiling back at him, shirt still half unbuttoned and pulled away. X-eins frowns a little. The bruising on his neck definitely looks worse this morning. X-eins wonders if it’s as bad for his own neck too. H-neun is more important right now. No matter how frustrating, his dumb best friend has pulled this ridiculous stunt just to save him. X-eins would be remiss if he didn’t return the favour and look after him as a priority. And stopping this conversation is a plus. He really doesn’t want to talk about H-neun’s love life.

 

 “You were late because they were feeding off you?” X-eins says, leaning down at looking at his neck. “You still haven’t told me what actually happened.”

 “Late?” H-neun laughs. “I saved you, didn’t I?”

 “Just.”

 “Saved is saved. Don’t get picky. I’m the one who got shot. Have some sympathy for your valiant hero.”

 He laughs and tilts his head back. X-eins frowns, running his fingers over the marks from the fangs. They seem closed but they should clean them to make sure there’s no infections. Hopefully, they won’t scar. It wouldn’t be fair if H-neun’s always perfect skin was scarred because of him.

 “You can kiss me better if you like.”

 X-eins starts. He finds himself gazing at H-neun’s face blankly for a few moments, unsure just how serious H-neun actually is about that. H-neun is completely silent, watching him expectantly. Trying to figure out if X-eins will take the bait or tell him off. H-neun has a surprisingly good poker face when he actually tries.

 Finally, X-eins sighs. Their fingers brush lightly as he leans in once more.

 “Just this once,” he whispers.

 H-neun making such a suggestion back in the academy would be hugely frowned upon, even in jest. The fact that X-eins is going along with it would be even worse. It’s really starting to hit home; they’ve completely thrown aside everything they’ve ever known. They could do _anything._ Anything at all. There’s no more frowned upon. No more against the rules. No more orders. It’s half liberating and half terrifying. All X-eins can do is focus on H-neun and survival. Everything else can come later.

 So X-eins leans in closer, taking a slow breath to steel himself. It shouldn’t be such a big deal but doing this isn’t normal for them. After a moment, he presses his lips lightly to H-neun’s soft, bruised skin.  H-neun tenses slightly but their fingers brush once again, relaxing them both a little more. Everything H-neun has done, why shouldn’t X-eins indulge him just this once? On the understanding it really is just this once.

 

 “X…” H-neun gazes up at him as he pulls back and straightens. X-eins smiles awkwardly. It’s H-neun’s fault for making the suggestion anyway. “I didn’t actually expect you to…”

 “You’re the idiot who made the joke,” X-eins mutters, cheeks warming slightly as he adjusts his glasses. H-neun catches his shirt and pulls him forward further, not really helping with the embarrassment. “What are you-”

 H-neun unbuttons his shirt collar and X-eins has to grab the back of the armchair to stop himself falling on top of H-neun. It takes a few embarrassingly long moments before X-eins realises that H-neun is actually returning the gesture. He’d been so distracted by escaping and looking after H-neun’s shoulder, he’d barely thought about his own injury. Rest couldn’t cure H-neun’s bullet wound as it had their exhaustion and the marks from the council vampire didn’t hurt. It seems H-neun hasn’t forgotten though.

 X-eins trembling fingers grip the armchair as H-neun’s lips press lightly to his neck in return. His heart is pounding. He’s doesn’t know why. It’s not like he doesn’t spend time with H-neun constantly. It’s not like they’ve not been close. But H-neun’s hot breath against his neck, his lips against skin, the feel of his soft smile, it all makes his heart flutter.

 As soon as H-neun’s grip loosens enough, X-eins jerks back away, faster than he was really meaning to. H-neun frowns.

 “Sorry.” X-eins glances down at H-neun’s apology. His stomach churns. He isn’t quite sure what that expression is H-neun is wearing but he doesn’t like it. But after a moment, H-neun laughs like it’s nothing. “As strict as ever, huh? I guess I pushed my luck a bit too far that time.”

 “I won’t hold it against you this time,” X-eins replies, turning away and doing up his shirt again. He really doesn’t want to argue. Or make things awkward. It’s best to laugh along. “Call it your reward for helping me.”

 “Rescuing you,” H-neun says.

 

 X-eins ignores that jab and sits on the bed again, trying to calm his racing heart. He glances at H-neun, who’s still lounging in the chair with his clothes dishevelled and his lazy smile. _How charming._ Although, perhaps X-eins can some of the appeal. Somehow his gaze is just drawn to H-neun’s exposed skin, head tilted back lazily, offering up his throat. The bandages over his shoulder and half exposed chest...

 X-eins turns away sharply.  How strange that being free like this makes him suddenly consider H-neun like this. Like being in this situation changes how he sees H-neun. Does he really see H-neun so differently now? _No._ It’s the stress. Definitely the stress. His emotions are a mess and nothing is making sense right now. Of course even his relationship with H-neun isn’t making sense.

 “We need to rest,” X-eins says quietly.

 “You rest,” H-neun murmurs, tilting his head. “I’ll keep watch. We’re not out of the woods yet.”

 “Only if you come here and sit with me.”

 X-eins eyes widen. _He’d_ said that. Even after that embarrassment, he’d just asked H-neun to come and join him _in bed_? H-neun glances up and X-eins glares at the wall, pushing up his glasses. _Why?_ Why would he say something like that? What’s wrong with him? And why does it even bother him? H-neun being close is what reassures him most in the world and always had. Neither ever had any problems wanting to be close.

 “If that’s what you want,” H-neun replies. X-eins scowls at the wall as H-neun sits on the bed with him. “You’re the damsel in distress here.”

 Damsel? He jerks around to glare at H-neun, but all he gets in response is H-neun taking off his glasses and setting them on the bedside table. H-neun tugs off their jackets, putting them with the bag, pushes X-eins back to the bed. X-eins glares up at H-neun’s blurry form and H-neun laughs, brushing his hair gently from his face again.

 “Sleep,” H-neun murmurs. “While we can. We’ve got a long journey ahead of us, after all.”

 “We do,” X-eins sighs.

 He closes his eyes slowly, pulling up the covers and trying to get some level of rest. His fingers touch H-neun’s lightly, not just a brush this time but resting against them. He opens his eyes a little but he can’t see H-neun’s face without his glasses. H-neun chuckles softly though.

 “I’m right here, X,” H-neun says, laying his hand lightly over X-eins’. “I’m not going anywhere. It’ll be fine.”

 “I never realised how safe we always were,” X-eins whispers. “Even when we were on a mission, I always felt safe. We were all together. We were the aggressors. I’ve never been hunted like this outside our training games. It’s never been real like this.”

 “As long as we’re together, nothing’s going to happen. We’re not going to let them win.” X-eins nods. “Hey… you said you don’t touch my hand when you’re nervous because you want me to smile for you. So why?”

 “You said I was allowed my mysteries,” he replies.

 “You are. Doesn’t mean I’m not a bit curious though. How come?”

 X-eins shakes his head. He’s not going to tell H-neun something that now. Not after how embarrassing everything just was. Instead X-eins closes his eyes, content with H-neun’s hand lying over his. Warm and soft, despite the calluses from years of hard training. It’s almost impossibly easy to start drifting off now he’s in contact with H-neun. He still needs to ask about his run in with those vampires. They need to talk about a lot of things, but instead X-eins is drifting off with ease.

 

 “I can’t even remember why I was mad at you anymore,” X-eins says, stifling a yawn.

 “You were mad at me?” H-neun says.

 The corners of X-eins’ lips quirk a little. “Incredibly so.”

 “Well, whatever I did, I’m sure I’m sorry,” he laughs softly.

 “I’m sure you’re not,” X-eins’ replies. “You never are. But it’s alright, I forgive you. You’ve kind of earned it after this.”

 “I’m glad I did something right then.”

 X-eins nods and stifles another yawn. H-neun squeezes his hand gently. For some reason he can’t explain, when he starts to get nervous, X-eins wants nothing more than to reach out, grasp H-neun’s hand and hang on like it’s a life line. It’s pathetic. And probably really weird. H-neun will probably laugh if X-eins ever tells him. Now he has H-neun’s hand, he knows his instincts were right though. It’s all X-eins needs to drift off into a relaxing sleep once more.


	3. The Team

 It’s not a bad way to wake up, X-eins thinks. H-neun’s fingers carding through his hair, lying next to him in a soft, warm bed, somewhere safe and relatively comfortable. He’s humming softly, something X-eins thinks might be that Rukino Saki’s annoying song to get more money for the Valvraves and their ridiculous country. It sounds sort of nice in H-neun’s tones though. 

 “Hey,” X-eins whispers. 

 “Oh, you’re awake?” H-neun murmurs. X-eins opens his eyes slowly. Not that he can see much. But he’s glad he can see H-neun’s fuzzy shape anyway. “Sorry.”

 “I think you probably should have woken me up a while ago anyway,” he replies. H-neun’s sheepish laughter is all the confirmation he really needs. “So, I was thinking… do you think it’s worth trying to contact L-elf?”

 “L-elf?”

 “He’s here, right?” X-eins mutters. “He wouldn’t have left the Valvraves to come Earth alone. And there at Karlstein, that was him, wasn’t it? If we’re traitors anyway, I think our chances of surviving are probably better with L-elf than without.”

 H-neun sighs and nods. “I guess you’re right. The bastard has outsmarted us at damn near every turn. It might be worth trying. If we can find him.” 

 “The Valvraves aren’t exactly subtle.”

 “True. Something to talk through I guess.” 

 “We can’t wait forever.”

 “But we can’t go too far as we are. And this is L-elf. He probably already knows all of this already and will be waiting for us.”

 “Don’t say things like that,” X-eins sighs. “I don’t want to think every second of our lives is just a factor in L-elf’s plan. Just asking him for help will be enough of a knock to our pride, let alone thinking he’s just been waiting for it and planned for it.”

 H-neun is right though. They don’t have many options while this beat up. They’re tough and trained to operate in some of the harshest conditions, but H-neun’s shoulder worries X-eins. He doesn’t want to risk H-neun, and they don’t have much need to. There’s no mission, no timeline, nothing that needs them to move _ now _ . He wants H-neun to rest as much as possible until then. 

 

 After a moment, X-eins realises H-neun’s hand is still resting lighting over his. He draws his hand back slowly and H-neun sighs. X-eins wonders if maybe his childish ideals that the pair of them could actually find some comfort in holding each other's hands might not be so far off. After a moment considering it, and not really getting anywhere, he sighs and tilts his head away. 

 “You should get some sleep too,” X-eins says quietly.

 H-neun hums and X-eins frowns as his fingers brush his cheek, tilting his head slowly. Suddenly H-neun is  _ very _ close. Close enough X-eins can make out his face without his glasses. He gazes up at H-neun silently, not entirely sure what’s supposed to be happening. What’s H-neun up to now? 

 “X…” He smiles, thumb brushing his X-eins’ cheek lightly. It seems like he wants to say something but changes his mind and instead grins. “You’re really cute when you’re sleeping, you know?”

 X-eins lets out an exasperated sigh. “Do you want me to to check your shoulder before you sleep?”

 “Depends. Do you want to kiss that better too?”

 X-eins rolls his eyes and H-neun sits up slowly. The change of coloured shapes makes it pretty obvious H-neun is getting his shirt off. X-eins sits up, reaching across for his glasses.

 “You’ll hurt yourself,” he scolds once he can see and bats H-neun’s hands away. “Let me.”

 “See,” H-neun laughs. “Constantly trying to get my shirt off.”

 “That joke really is getting old now.”

 “But not inaccurate.”

 

 X-eins shakes his head and focuses on unbuttoning H-neun’s shirt. He doesn’t approve. At all. If they do have to suddenly run, wasting time dressing is a hassle. But then, this is probably the safest place they’ll find themselves for a while. X-eins fights the urge to sigh again. They really have got themselves into a mess. H-neun lies down next to him and X-eins finds himself gazing down at his friend. His best friend. H-neun smiles back lazily. He look horribly casual like that, sprawled out and relaxed. 

_  Stunning. _

 X-eins’ cheeks warm and he glances away. He couldn’t possibly actually be thinking about his friend’s attractiveness. There’s no way that’s happening. He’s obviously still exhausted and needs more sleep, but he’ll deal with that once he’s kept watch. 

 “X,” H-neun whispers, hand resting against X-eins’ arm. “Come down here and sleep some more.”

 “We can’t sleep all day every day until we’re safe to leave,” X-eins scolds lightly. 

 “Come here, X.”

 X stares down at him for a moment. It is impossible to say no when H-neun is looking at him like that. The need to be close to him is suddenly almost overwhelming and X-eins can do nothing but nod and lie at H-neun’s side once more. He supposes a little longer sleeping won’t be too bad. Especially at H-neun’s side. Even if H-nun is rather distracting.

 H-neun reaches for his hand once more. X-eins doesn’t stop him, letting H-neun lay his hand over his. Maybe H-neun had always wanted to reach out as badly as X-eins. Maybe when X-eins reaches out and their fingers brush, H-neun is wishing X-eins had the courage to grasp his hand too. 

 “I miss sleeping with you,” H-nen murmurs. 

 X-eins’ eyes widen a crack. “Sleeping with-”

 “It’s been so long since you got into bed with me,” he says. “Remember? Whenever one of us was upset, you’d climb into bed with me.”

 “Not since we moved out of that double and into our own separate rooms,” X-eins murmurs. “Two and a half years.” 

 “Feels like a long time.” 

 “It is quite a long time.” He smiles and takes off his glasses, tucking them away on the windowsill this time. “I miss being in the same bed as you too. I always slept well when we were together.”

 “So did I. When we were together it just…” H-neun laughs softly and tilts his head, a lazy smile tugging at his lips. “There’s a lot I wouldn’t have got through without you, X. Looking after you, always helped me forget my own issues.”

 X-eins frowns. He can only really think of one instance of that. F-sech. Is that what H-neun’s thinking about? Of course F-sech affected them all a lot more than they let on but H-neun just kept smiling, like he always did. Said it had to be done. Worried about X-eins. There’s an oddly selfish part of him that is slightly bitter that H-neun still thinks about F-sech. Of course, that secret is an important moment in their lives - a defining moment really - so why shouldn’t he think about it sometimes? Even so, X-eins would rather not think about F-sech and H-neun. They’d been close. In his childhood X-eins had secretly been concerned F-sech was coming between him and H-neun. It had always been the two of them, and he had been loathed to tolerate another coming between them. Of course, it was childish possessiveness and conviction that the world revolved around him, and little more. Mostly.

 

 “I wish I’d noticed how important you were sooner,” X-eins says. H-neun frowns and again X-eins realises H-neun is  _ very _ close. X-eins should not be able to make out his face this clearly. “I mean… I did take awhile to think you were anything but an annoyance. You said you’d been trying to talk to me for weeks before I even noticed.” 

 “I’m glad I kept trying though,” H-neun replies. “You’re worth the effort.” He smiles, stroking his thumb gently against the back of X-eins’ hand. “Isn’t that you all over though? You make me work my ass off and wait forever, but when it finally happens, it’s the most incredible passionate relationship of my life.”

 It wasn’t really them though. It had had been their families. Shoving him out to play with the boy down the street, which he’d completely objected to and mostly resolved to ignore. It had been weeks of reading his books in the field, completely ignoring his unwilling playmate who seemed to dislike him just as much at the start. He’d considered him little more than a nuisance at the time. Tuning him out had become second nature. It was little wonder it took him weeks to even notice the other boy had started trying to form some kind of uneasy truce. What would that tiny boy think of him and his playmate now? 

 X-eins, of course, doesn’t voice any of these thoughts and instead frowns. “Are these the sort of lines you use on those girls you date?”

 “How shameless do you think I am?”

 “Entirely.”

 “Ah, come on, X. You’re really making me work.”

 “Why are you even flirting with me?” X-eins mutters, turning his face into the pillows. “It’s not helping lighten the mood.”

 “Trust me, X, when I’m flirting, you’ll know about it,” H-neun murmurs. 

 His fingers stroke X-eins’ hair lightly and X-eins is glad he’s hidden in the pillows so H-neun can’t tease him about the heat in his cheeks. He is too tired and stressed to take any of his ridiculous teasing with a grace and disdain he would back home. H-neun is a flirtatious person, it’s in his nature, but X-eins was always careful to make it clear when he was pushing his luck too far. He’s always firm and strict when it comes to H-neun’s teasing. To put to rest any rumours about them and hopefully stop any forming. X-eins could never stand hearing people whisper about them.

 “Fine, fine. You’re not in the mood.”

 “I told you enough times about it back at the academy,” he whispers. “Don’t think just because we’re suddenly free from the academy’s regulations and rules that you can start acting up. I won’t put up with you going through your rebellious teenager phase now. I won’t stand for it here anymore than I did there.” 

 “Is that what you think I’m doing?” He sighs and X-eins doesn’t dare look up at him. “I’m not treating you any different really, X, I think you’re just over thinking things.” It wouldn’t be the first time. Apparently he has a terrible habit of doing so when he’s not in control. That’s not the point though. “But if that’s what you want, I’ll tone it down.” The bed shifts and X-eins glances up at last as H-neun’s hand moves away from him. “Try to rest.” 

 H-neun’s getting out of bed? “Wait-”

 “Don’t want to make you awkward, X.”

 

 X-eins’ hand shoots out before he can stop himself. Before he can even think about it really. His fingers close around H-neun’s and H-neun stops almost in his tracks. As if frozen. He glances back at X-eins, who glares down at their hands. Finally, after all this time hesitating… He’s finally managed to grasp H-neun’s hand with his own will. And H-neun’s hand feel just as right in his hand as X-eins had always thought it would. He hadn’t had time to appreciate it when they’d been running, but H-neun’s hand really does feel right in his. 

 “You’re not treating me any different, right?” X-eins says firmly. “So there’s nothing wrong with you sharing a bed with me like we always did. I always sleep better with you here, so if you want me to rest, it’s best you’re here with me.” H-neun nods a little and sits once more. “I just wanted to make it clear that I wouldn’t accept any funny business.” He scowls, suddenly realises H-neun has been manipulating X-eins into sleeping again while he keeps watch. “Besides, it’s my turn to watch, remember? You’re supposed to be sleeping.”

 “Alright, alright, you got me,” H-neun says.

 He lies with X-eins’ once again, but X-eins can’t bring himself to release his hand. Now he has H-neun’s hand he never wants to let go. He sighs and closes his eyes slowly, suddenly feeling a million times better just from clearing the air. And finally getting H-neun’s hand in his. Even such a ridiculously small thing, it makes a huge difference. It makes everything right. It seems ridiculous that he’s been hesitating over it for so long.

 “Does this mean no more kisses better?”

 “I hate you,” X-eins sighs into the pillow as H-nen laughs.

 He’s too close to sleep to care about telling him off. As long as he’s with H-neun, he can drift off within minutes. There really is nothing better than being in bed with him. It makes everything better, no matter what chaos has been going on that day, no matter how much pain they’re in.

 His idiot H-neun.

 

 H-neun sits in the interrogation room in silence, drumming his fingers nervously against the table. Just H-neun on his own in that dingy, dull room. The rest of the team stands on the other side of the glass, watching their team mate. This time they can’t deal with it themselves and X-eins is relieved. He couldn’t really hope to argue down L-elf on this anymore than they had for F-sech. 

 It is, of course, F-sech that’s the problem. Even after they’d dealt with him, there were always rumours that if one was rotten, the whole batch could have been. Especially with A-drei amoung them. Cain was their instructor, he knows about what happened, X-eins is sure, but he hasn’t said a thing. Best dealt with quietly. But they can’t this time. H-neun’s being dealt with officially, under Cain’s careful watch. He’d been dragged from their shared room early that morning and left in the interrogation room all day. 

 “L-elf,” Cain says, watching H-neun. “How would you proceed?”

 “H-neun is blunt and forward,” L-elf says. “He’s not the type to hide his intentions when confronted. Have X-eins ask him.”

 “Me?” X-eins says, glaring down at the youngster. 

 The fact that he’s leader of the team is galling enough, he doesn’t need him being sadistic enough to make him interrogate his best friend. But Cain nods and puts his hand on X-eins’ shoulder.

 “Precisely my thoughts,” Cain says. X-eins stares up at him and Cain smiles back. He can’t. He can’t interrogate H-neun as a traitor. He can’t treat H-neun like that. He refuses to even consider the possibility that H-neun would ever betray Dorssia. “Don’t be afraid. As L-elf said, H-neun is straightforward with his intentions when confronted. With you, even more so. If you ask him for the truth, he will give it to you.”

 “He’s not a traitor,” X-eins says with absolute conviction. 

 “Then he should have no trouble telling you such,” L-elf says.

 “You honestly think-”

 “What I think is irrelevant,” he replies, not even glancing at X-eins. “I’m not the one who’ll decide his fate, after all.” 

 “A second traitor on our team will see us all suspects,” he snaps. “We could all be put to death. Especially with A-drei here”

 “I’m as loyal as anyone,” A-drei says, eyes narrowed.

 “Then we’d best hope you and H-neun can convince everyone we’re innocent, X-eins,” L-elf says. 

 “We’ll just deal with it the same way we always have,” Q-vier laughs. “I’d be loyal until the end and put you all down.”

 “Enough,” Cain says, putting an end to the bickering.  “L-elf is right, X-eins. H-neun will be more likely to confess the truth to you. If he is a traitor or not. You trust my judgement, correct?”

 “Of course,” X-eins says, straightening up. 

 “Then trust that I believe you will succeed in getting the truth from H-neun,” he says. X-eins nods. “Shall we then?” 

 

 X-eins nods slowly. He believes H-neun is innocent. There’s no way H-neun would ever betray them. He’s loyal to them even if not Dorssia. Cain escorts him in and H-neun lifts his head. He looks tired and stressed, but gazes back at them silently. And it tugs at X-eins’ heart to see his friend like this. This isn’t how his H-neun should be. 

 “You know why you’re here, H-neun?” Cain says. 

 “Someone thinks I’m a royalist,” H-neun replies. “Because of the suspicions about F-sech. That was years ago. Aren’t we over that?” 

 “You were close to F-sech,” X-eins says, stepping forward. Even now, years later and into their teens, there’s a part of X-eins that hates F-sech for the close bond he’d had with H-neun. And to an extent still does. The possessive tendencies he’d once had have never really faded, just been tempered with a cool head and better experience. “Maybe he wasn’t the only royalist. Who’s to say he ever was? Perhaps you lead us to believe it was him so you’d be free of suspicion.”

 “You mustn’t think very much of me,” he snaps. 

 “You’re the obvious suspect.” 

 “No, I was F-sech’s friend. We all were. I’m not entirely sure why you’ve suddenly decided I’m the obvious subject.” He scowls and X-eins really hates that looking being directed at him. Mistrust and betrayal. He  _ hates _ it. Like he’s the one betraying H-neun. “Maybe I do get it, actually. L-elf is the golden child, he can do nothing wrong. Q-vier is so completely screwed up by us that even thinking of questioning Dorssia, let alone betraying them is literally impossible. And can’t get your lips off the colonel’s ass for long enough to even consider to talking to anyone else.”

 “Try not to be so crude, H-neun,” Cain says. “It’s unbecoming of a young man.”

 “Is that really what you think of us?” X-ein says, suddenly unable to meet H-neun’s gaze.  _ Is that really what you think of me? _ he wants to ask but can’t. He thought he and H-neun- He can’t even finish that train of thought. It’s all he can do to keep his voice steady and carry on. “You know you’re really not helping your case.”

 “Well, I’m just laying out the fact, right? What few there are,” H-neun says, leaning his chin on his palm. “With you three out the picture that only leave me and A-drei to throw accusations at.”

 X-eins pauses. “A-drei?”

 “Is our prince in the next room?” H-neun smirks. “Of course not. You can’t put a prince down as a traitor without some kind of proof. That would cause outrage. It’d just make him a martyr for the royalist cause anyway, and turn more people to resistance. And that’s ignoring that L-elf has plans for him. He’d never let one of his pawns be taken from him. That leaves me as the obvious sacrifice. Just like F-sech.” 

 

 X-eins frowns and glances at Cain, who’s watching passively. He has no choice. He can’t be seen to be sympathising with a potential traitor or be declared one himself. He does all he can to keep his hand steady as he draws his gun and levels it at H-neun’s forehead. 

 “Then perhaps you should consider the situation you’re in and find a reason why we should trust you, before you meet the same fate.”

 H-neun’s eyes narrow slightly and he lifts his head to meet X-eins’ gaze unflinchingly. “I would  _ never _ betray you.”

 

 X-eins gasps, eyes snapping open to the dim light of their hotel room and H-neun’s face still far to close to his. His breath slowly evens out. H-neun is right here beside him, peaceful and quiet, resting as though there’s nothing wrong in the world. X-eins’ finds himself pushing H-neun’s hair back off his face as he sleeps with trembling fingers.

 “What a terrible dream,” he whispers. He smiles bitterly. Dream? X-eins nearly sighs. Memory. “I always hate it when we fight.”

 That day had been the first time they’d ever argued like that. X-eins saying what he had to had hurt H-neun more than he’d expected. And what H-neun had to say about him in return had stung far more than X-eins tried to let on. In fact, his rather swift and brutal cutting down of their team’s relationship had left rifts that took Cain forcing them to do team therapy to fix - which was a polite way of saying he sat them down to yell at each other and smack each other with padded bats until they’d worked out most of the tension. Even after that, it had taken him and H-neun weeks to truly get back to how things were before.

 He’s not entirely sure why H-neun always came back to him. Why H-neun had done all this when he had such a comfortable life. A bright future ahead of him. He’d given it all up to save him from some vague threat that he might not have even noticed. Idiot.

 X-eins can’t help wondering if he would have been able to do the same. If things had been the other way around… if H-neun had got there before him would X-eins have been able to save him? Would he have even realised he was in danger? H-neun had gone into the manor to save him and X-eins had been so wrapped up in himself. What if H-neun had got there first? They would have killed him. Might have been able to convince him H-neun had been a traitor all along. Would he have really believed him like he always said if Cain had presented him with evidence and H-neun’s body? Would X-eins have been devoured by them?

 “Idiot,” he whispers, fingers tracing H-neun’s cheekbones lightly. 

 

 H-neun’s hand in his, seeing him peaceful and at rest like this, it warms his chest more than anything. Somehow, something this simple, feels absolutely perfect. He doesn’t know what it is but being here with H-neun really is beyond compare. 

 H-neun himself is beyond compare.

 X-eins’ fingers slide down over H-neun’s jaw, pleasingly strong and square. His skin is always so perfectly soft and clear. He traces down his neck, brushing the bruise left by the council. He really does have to get H-neun to tell him what happened there. He moves slowly lower, finger splay out appreciatively over H-neun’s chest. Even with his chest half bandaged to help with his shoulder, X-eins can appreciate his firm, broad chest. He’s never taken time to appreciate H-neun like this before. How comforting it is to feel H-neun’s heart beneath his palm.

 H-neun is so warm. So strong. Despite everything H-neun had said about unquestioned loyalty to Dorssia and the team, H-neun is here with him. He’d thrown away every promise of loyalty just to protect X-eins, even when he’d been so cold recently; pushing H-neun away, ignoring his worries. Looking back, he hadn’t even noticed how withdrawn and nervy he was. What kind of best friend was he? So caught up in becoming stronger, being better, that he’d utterly failed. The irony isn’t lost on him. He doesn’t deserve H-neun’s loyalty. H-neun doesn’t deserve to be here with X-eins after he was such an awful friend. 

 

 After a moment, X-eins leans in and presses a light kiss to his shoulder. He sighs softly, brushing his fingers of the bandages. His poor H-neun. Isn’t it the least he can do to kiss him better? Even if he thinks H-neun might just be saying this stuff to drive him insane. He leans up a little, lips falling lightly over the bruise on H-neun’s neck once more. 

 H-neun stirs and X-eins goes tense. After a moment, H-neun doesn’t react any further and X-eins lets out a relieved sigh. He’s ok. X-eins smiles and lies back in the pillows, gazing back at H-neun’s sleeping face. He looks so much younger now he’s relaxed and sleeping. He brushes H-neun’s cheek lightly once more, this time less bothered by H-neun stirring. 

 And as he lies there, X-eins finds his gaze drawn to H-neun’s lips. He swallows thickly, unable to tear his mind from unwanted thoughts and questions of what it would be like to kiss him. All those girls H-neun held sway over. All the people who loved him. All those kisses he shared and girls who wanted him. There had to be some appeal to it. And he does adore H-neun so much. Just a kiss better. He deserves it. 

 “X,” H-neun murmurs in his sleep. 

 X-eins’ eyes widen and he barely keep from making noise as H-neun’s arm wraps loosely around his middle, pulling X-eins flush against him. H-neun still seems to be asleep but he’s holding him close purposefully. After a long moment, X-eins sighs and closes his eyes, leaning into H-neun’s neck lightly. 

 What kind of idiot is he? Thinking about H-neun like that? He’s such an idiot. But then, X-eins supposes if he was half as smart as he thought he was before all this, they wouldn’t be in this position. 


	4. The Cover

 The sun has just set and the sky is going dark, but the small town is lit up. H-neun and X-eins are sitting on the bed either side of the window, watching Dorssia’s forces in the streets below. They’d lingered too long. But they didn’t have many other options. They’d talked through their choices and nothing made more sense than remaining, but it’s far from safe. They were traitors and knew far too much. Nothing is safe. Nowhere is safe.

 And now Cain himself is in streets below them.

 It shouldn’t be a surprise. The council and everything surrounding it would appear to be top secret. Although, that makes sense given there isn’t really any reasonable way to explain a council of body snatching vampires controlling the world from the shadows. Cain is either one of them or working for them. He won’t be letting them escape.

 “What are you thinking?” H-neun says quietly.

 “We can’t break cover with Cain and his forces swarming the area,” X-eins replies. “We’d be spotted instantly.” H-neun nods. X-eins is sure he already knows this. But talking things through is reassuring somehow. “Which means we’re trapped here.”

 “Tactically speaking, we didn’t pick a great place for escaping from.” X-eins nods. “But I think inspecting the room for escape routes would have raised suspicions. We were better to just look like tourists.”

 X-eins nods. He knows. If they’d been looking for something with a tactical advantage they would have stood out like a sore thumb. Perhaps this can work in their advantage.

 “Perhaps Cain will be looking for us in tactical places,” X-eins says. “Perhaps the very fact that we’ve ignored basic common sense and picked a place with no obvious escape route will be a form of camouflage.”

 “Such a dumb place to hide, no one with military training would so they won’t bother checking,” H-neun says and X-eins nods. “Might work. Cain would expect so much better of us, us doing the opposite of our training might slip under his radar.”

 “So crazy it just might work.”

 

 H-neun gets up from the bed, careful to keep out of sight of the window. X-eins remains, watching Cain and the Dorssian forces below them. Only a few days ago they’d be down there too. Although, it occurs to X-eins belatedly that they’re not generally cleared to act with impunity on Earth like they are in space. It’s not their jurisdiction. That council must have pulled some strings to allow Cain to work down here temporarily.They can’t risk them being caught and telling people what they know, after all.

 Not that he thinks anyone would really believe them.

 “Hey,” H-neun says. X-eins glances over. H-neun is leant in the doorway, chatting with the owner. “What’s all the fuss?”

 “Some special forces exercise,” the owner replies. “They do it here a lot. There are bases out in the countryside around here. They run training games through the towns here sometime.”

 “Any idea how long they’re gonna be at it?” he asks.

 “Don’t worry about it. The guys playing the enemy part are always really obvious. We’ve done it that many times we know what to look out for, we want them out as quickly as everyone else, you know. Bad for business. The other side is always dressed in such obviously military clothes it’s not hard to pick them out. Shouldn’t be more than a few hours before they move on. Nothing to disturb your lovers break.”

 “Lovers?” H-neun repeats.

 “We’re not lovers,” X-eins snaps pushing up his glasses.

 “It’s not that unusual,” the owner laughs. “A pair of kids who’s friends and family don’t approve of their relationship, run off to be together without anyone knowing.”

 X-eins frowns. “That’s not really how it-”

 “I guess we’re not as subtle as we thought,” H-neun laughs sheepishly. X-eins glares daggers at his back. They are not going to be a couple as a cover. _No._ “You won’t tell anyone, right? I won’t lose him over a some tavern owner who can’t keep a secret.”

 There’s a hint of a threat in H-neun’s voice that draws X-eins’ gaze from the window again momentarily. And there’s something sincere about his words. Something he can’t really shake. H-neun _means it_. Out of sight of the owner, hidden behind the door, H-neun is reaching for the knife on his belt. Killing him here would be more trouble than not but H-neun is honestly considering it. To protect him. There’s something possessive and threatening that makes X-eins’ pulse quicken a touch. Not like when preparing for battle. This is different. H-neun is protecting him far beyond what they’ve done before. He’d had gone so far as to stand against Cain to protect him.

 Killing a nosey tavern owner isn’t ideal but he will mean nothing. Just another drop of blood to add to the oceans they’ve already spilled. H-neun wouldn’t hesitate to do it, just to protect him, and X-eins will do the same in a heartbeat.

 “You think any one around here cares about two kids enjoying the foolish charms of teenage lust and infatuation. They’ll move on in a few hours, then you can get back to it without fear of being caught.”

 “It’s far more than that,” H-neun says, voice unwavering and challenging. “I love him.”

 The owner laughs. X-eins might have too if it wasn’t for the need to play a part. And that he still can’t shake just how honest H-neun sounds. How serious. He’s said it before. They love each other like family. A bond so close it’s taken advantage of by their enemies, and that their team cannot even begin to understand. But this does sound like an honest confession of true love, as if this is one of those romantic movies. As if they really as runaway lovers, hiding from a disapproving world.

 The door shuts and H-neun locks it again, returning to the bed, watching the corner of the window as X-eins is. Cain continues to direct the troops. Guiding them. As he had once done them.

 “Teenage lust and infatuation?” X-eins hisses.

 “I could get used to that,” H-neun says, flashing a smirk.

 “You love me?”

 “You know I do, X.”

 “Can you please save this until after the danger has passed?” he mutters. “I have more important things to think about than telling you off.”

 “It’s a good enough to cover for us,” he replies. “For now, at least. If they think we’re just two guys who’ve run off to the countryside to screw around, they’re not going to pay any attention to us.”

 “It’s a good enough plan,” X-eins sighs. Logically it’s rather sensible, he knows that. “Given we don’t have many other options. Just don’t get carried away.” He glances up at H-neun and frowns a little. “You hair’s too obvious. We need to change it.”

 “My hair?” H-neun says, staring at him like he’s said something blasphemous. “I like my hair.”

 “I’m not saying I don’t,” he snaps. “But it’s obvious and recognisable.”

 “So… you _like_ my hair?”

 X-eins shoots him a glare that quite clearly tells him to drop the discussion there. H-neun grins but says nothing. Thankfully. X-eins _does_ like H-neun’s hair. It naturally falls back off his face and is very him. Even if X-eins had spent a while good naturedly ribbing him about it when he first did it. He spent far too long worrying about how he looked. X-eins really didn’t understand why. H-neun is perfectly handsome. He doesn’t need to try so hard.

 

 “Few hours,” X-eins sighs, turning his attention back to the window.

 “I suddenly can’t remember how we manage to sit around for hours waiting,” H-neun says.

 “Its different when we’re the ones being hunted. There’s no back up. No plans to go over and over to fill the time, not that you ever did anything but nap.”

 “Too tense to nap.”

 “Cain’s not going to save us this time.”

 “I don’t even think he is Cain.” X-eins frowns, following H-neun’s gaze down to Cain’s imposing figure once more. “He didn’t remember what he told us back then at all.”

 “He didn’t?”

 “Think about it,” H-neun says with a scowl. “If these things really can just snatch bodies of whoever they want, what if he’s not Cain at all?”

 “He’s not the same Cain who saved us?” X-eins says.

 “He might never have been,” he replies. “He was different the second time we saw him.”

 “I’m glad.” H-neun turns to stare at him and X-eins smiles tightly. “If he’s not really Cain, if he’s one of them, then that memory and that Cain who saved us can never be tainted by this. The Cain who saved us didn’t do this. The Cain who saved us, isn’t a vampire looking to kill us and use our bodies. Isn’t that better?”

 “I guess so,” H-neun mutters before nodding more firmly. “You’re right. This Cain isn’t the Cain who saved us, so we can still remember him as our savior. You’re right. I’m glad too.”

 “It’s somewhat relieving,” X-eins says, “to think of this Cain as a different man.”

 “Hey, X?” X-eins glances over at him. “Let’s avenge our Cain.”

 

 X-eins gazes back at H-neun silently for a long moment. Avenge Cain? Their Cain? He can already see the plan, or what passes as such, forming in H-neun’s mind. Expose the council, eliminate the fake Cain, clear their names. Less a plan more a list of mission objectives. Even so, as he gazes down at Cain below, he can’t help think H-neun is right.

 “Cain deserves better than to be remembered as this man,” X-eins agrees. “I want to remember the man who saved us. I want to avenge him too.”

 H-neun nods. “Too bad we can’t just shoot him from here.”

 “Would give away our location,” he says. “And from what we know of them, they don’t really die from gunshots.”

 “Yeah, I definitely shot him in the leg. And I definitely shot a couple of those council creeps that fed off me. They just got right back up. Like a zombie movie.”

 “You have to shoot zombie in the head,” X-eins says. It’s hard to keep a straight face as he says it. Especially when H-neun jerks around to stare at him. “Your aim must have been off. You’ve never been that accurate.”

 H-neun’s eyes narrow slightly. “Want me to pick up some silver bullets while we’re at it?”

 “That’s werewolves,” he says in all all seriousness. “Try to take this seriously.”

 “Right, right,” H-neun sighs. “Vampires are garlic and steaks, right? I could go for some garlic and steak right now. Or anything to eat that’s an actual meal really.”

 “Stop it, you’ll make me hungry.”

 “Too bad neck biting isn’t an option for us.”

 “I know you’re trying to lighten the mood, but I’m going to stop talking to you now.”

 H-neun laughs a little and X-eins is glad for his ridiculously jovial attitude even now when facing a highly uncertain future. It does help to know H-neun can still be laughing and messing around like this. And that X-eins can still match him. When H-neun starts taking things seriously, then X-eins will know they’re really in trouble.

 

 Cain tilts his head a little and they both draw back a little further from the window, falling silent. X-eins’ heart is racing, his breath caught in his throat. He’s almost certain Cain is looking right at them. Straight up and in their window with a small smile. Have they been spotted? Did Cain see them?

 For a few tense moments, they wait to see just how things are going to pan out. If Cain really did see them. H-neun has pulled out his pistol, watching the door, as X-eins watches the window. But nothing happens.

 The lights from outside fade and X-eins frowns. H-neun joins him checking the window. The troops are moving away. The pair are left staring down at the troops moving on. Why? X-eins was so sure Cain had spotted them.

 “This feels like some kind of trap,” H-neun whispers.

 “There’s no way he didn’t see us,” X-eins replies. “Trying to get us to let our guard down.”

 “Yeah,” he agrees. “No way he’s just…”

 Cain lifts his head, gazing straight up at them once more with a small smile. He definitely knows exactly where they are. But rather than ordering his forces up to arrest them he smiles and lifts his hand in what is almost a salute, before he moves away, gets in one of the cars and heads out.

 He’d really let them go? Why? That doesn’t make any sense. What’s he trying to do?

 

 There’s a knock on the door and H-neun lifts his gun. X-eins frowns and lays his hand gently over H-neun’s. They’re both on edge but that doesn’t sound like soldiers. Instead, they move out of sight of the door, knives in hand before X-eins opens it.

 “You guys’ll be pleased to know they’ve moved on,” the owner says, as relaxed as ever. Completely unaware how close he is to death. “So you two can do what you do. Ah, the guy in charge said he knew your fathers though.” X-eins catches H-neun’s fists clenching and his eyes narrowing off to the side. “I guess you’re a pair of high class brats, huh? Make sense of why your families wouldn’t approve.”

 “The point, please?” X-eins snaps.

 “Right, right. He said your families are very concern about you and are eager for your return. He said he’ll let you go this once for old times’ sake, but if he finds you again he will have you brought home to face the consequences. It looks like you’ve got some friends, huh?”

 X-eins nods slightly. “Thank you.”

 “Come back to bed then,” H-neun says lazily, heading back across the room.

 X-eins gazes after him before smiling at the owner and shutting the door behind him. Cain had let them go for old times’ sake? He frowns as he locks the door and H-neun pulls the curtains. What are they supposed to think? Could Cain really have enough compassion that he’s letting them have this chance?

 “While I understand you’re playing a part,” X-eins says, adjusting his glasses, “but can you not be so frivolous about acting like there’s something between us?”

 “Come back to bed, X,” H-neun says, holding out his hand.

 X purses his lips, glaring for a moment, before reaching out and taking H-neun’s hand. “We’ll leave before dawn. If this isn’t a trap to get us to let our guard down.”

 “Head back into the woods, find the next town along in the opposite direction to Cain,” he says and X-eins’ nods as he’s pulled down to the bed. “Stock up and move on.”

 “Head towards the nearest city,” X-eins says. “We can find a way to get in touch with L-elf from there.” He pauses and frowns. “Can we really give up everything? It’s one thing to be on the run from Dorssia because they tried to kill us first, but actively working with the enemies is another entirely. It’s bad enough A-drei’s just waiting for a gap to spring his revolution-”

 “A-drei?” H-neun says.

 “Why are you suprised? He’s part of the old royalty.”

 “Yeah, I get that,” he mutters. “But I just didn’t realise-”

 “I was investigating him,” X-eins explains. Might as well say it. Its unlikely they’re ever going to get back to how it once was. He’ll never be in that position again. Keeping secrets from H-neun is always hard anyway. “Knowing who he was, especially with what’s happened with L-elf, knowing what’s going on is important. Intelligence is important. I imagine L-elf was involved. Probably expected that we’d go along with it out of loyalty to our friends.”

 “A-drei might have,” H-neun says softly. “L-elf would have given us a chance to join them and shot us on the spot if we refused.”

 “Sensible.”

 “But not very friendly.”

 “And assuming we wouldn’t shoot them on sight the second they reveal themselves.”

 H-neun tilts his head a little. “Would you? They’re our friends. Would you really just shoot them without even hearing them out, no matter what?”

 “Most likely Q-vier would get there first,” X-eins says.

 

 H-neun tilts his head away. Reading H-neun might have got harder as they grew, but X-eins knows that look. Always has and always will. Something in what he’s said has upset him. Something’s not right. X-eins isn’t the only one who’s been keeping secrets.

 “Hano?”

 “Nothing.”

 “ _H-neun_.”

 “Ah, look at you,” H-neun laughs, turning away. “My crybaby best friend isn’t even recognisable anymore.”

 “Crybaby?” X-eins repeats. He’s changing the subject, but X-eins lets it drop for now. “I was never a crybaby.”

 “You were,” he says. “You’d cry all the time over everything. Now you’re… you’re you. You don’t cry, you just carry on. You’re the one giving me orders all the time. You boss me around and take control. Kinda sexy.”

 X-eins rolls his eyes and shoves H-neun’s good shoulder. “And here was me thinking you going to say something heartfelt and meaningful. Why do you always do that?”

 “Sorry, sorry,” H-neun laughs.

 “It’s not that I don’t like your joking,” X-eins says, “but it would be nice for you to be a little more serious. Or at least honest.”

 “Who says I’m not being honest?” he says. X-eins glares and shoves his shoulder again. _Idiot._ “Alright, alright. I’m just saying, I’m glad you’ve grown up. Even if I do miss being the guy you rely on and run to whenever you need help. I don’t ever know when the change happened or where it started, but I’m glad.”

 “I couldn’t have made it through any of the training without you,” X-eins says, turning away. His cheeks are warm again. All the way to the tips of his ears. “Never mind Karlstein. I’d probably have been put out of my misery if it wasn’t for you protecting me and helping me through.”

 “That’s why we’re the best team. We need each other. So, no more being dumb and keeping secrets and going off on our own. We’re a team.”

 “Right,” he agrees with a firm nod. And then a small smirk. “I didn’t realise you found being ordered around appealing. That does explain your interest in Kriemhild. You must also find being completely out of your league an attractive quality.”

 “Well, I’m mad for you, aren’t I?” H-neun laughs. X-eins suddenly wants to smack him with a pillow. Maybe smother him with it. “Don’t look at me like that, it’s a joke. Besides, shouldn’t you be flattered that I know you’re out of my league and I don’t stand a chance?”

 “I didn’t even know you were interested in other men.”

 “Flirting is flirting, X.”

 X-eins glares back silently. Flirting might be flirting, but X-eins would rather it wasn’t. H-neun laughs and falls back on the bed, leaving X-eins watching him curiously. He’s not exactly sure how he feels about H-neun’s flirting, but until he figures it out he doesn’t want to deal with it.

 However, there is something that does bother him about the discussion.

 “You should have more confidence,” X-eins mutters. H-neun opens one eye. “You’re not…” He frowns, not entirely sure how to word it properly. What else can he do but be as straight forward as possible? “You’re incredible. There’s no such thing as out of your league.”

 H-neun frowns and sits up slowly. “X…?”

 “If I was interested in such things right now, and you were actually serious about this sort of thing, and circumstances… The point is, I certainly wouldn’t be out of your league either.”

 “X?” H-neun sits up fully, leaning closer and X-eins turns away sharply. “ _X-eins_?”

 “That didn’t work when I did it to you,” X-eins says. “Why would it work when you do it to me?”

 “You’re not interested though, are you?” H-neun says softly.

 “Are you?” he shoots back.

 

 H-neun watches him for a moment. It’s tense and there’s something heavy about it. Something X-eins can’t really bring himself to break. X-eins’ tears his gaze from H-neun’s intense green eyes for a moment. Only, he finds himself drawn to H-neun’s lips again.

_Is he interested?_

 There’s nothing to stop them. Nothing saying they can’t. They could…

 X-eins doesn’t even know when they got so close. It’s not as uncomfortable as X-eins imagined it might be. In fact, it feels natural. Warm. Even though X-eins’ pulse races. Like when H-neun protected him earlier. A thrill of excitement and danger. H-neun leans closer, his weight falling over him, hands in the mattress either side of him as X-eins leans in to meet him.

 

 H-neun bites back a pained yelp and jerks back, hand going straight to his shoulder, face twisted in pain. X-eins’ eyes widen and the breath he’d somehow ended up holding releases as he hurriedly moves over to tend to him.

 “Sorry,” H-neun laughs weakly. “I guess it’s not up to taking much weight yet.”

 “Guess not,” X-eins replies, pointedly keeping his eyes on H-neun’s shoulder, not his face. “It was ridiculous anyway.”

 “Was it?” There’s a pause and X-eins can’t look up at him. “Yeah. Of course. We both got a bit carried away there, didn’t we?”

 “Just a bit. Sorry.”

 “Nah, I’m sorry too.”

 “Let’s just, pretend that never happened and get some sleep. We’ll leave before dawn.”


	5. A Gallant Knight

 Apparently the team was more important than expected. Most the time if a team was this much of a mess, they’d be ordered to suck it up and get on with their jobs or split up and teamed up in other places for efficiency’s sake. For Cain to think so much of them as a group that he insisted they work things out was almost unheard of. Apparently they are a prototype of some kind of new way of looking at their graduates. If they could form small units of youngsters as capable as them, they could revolutionise their forces and efficiency. L-elf scoffs that they are entirely unique and chances of replicating anywhere near their levels of success are slim to none, but Cain says that’s the point of a prototype.

 And so the Perfect Army was now cordial and at a tense truce. Except Q-vier who X-eins isn’t sure even realised there was something wrong to start with. He’s certainly completely missed the underlying tension still lingering. Even L-elf’s normal cool, level headedness seems a little rattled beneath the surface.

 He and H-neun still aren’t speaking. Not anymore than necessary for their missions and training. It makes the atmosphere in their shared room incredibly frosty.

 

 H-neun sits on the upper bunk, taking apart and reassembling his pistol. X-eins is at the desk, reading through old texts. Both rather pointedly not chatting as they usually would.

 X-eins doesn’t like it. He hates it. But then, he doesn’t like the way H-neun spoke of him that day in interrogation, either. He was angry. He was being accused of treachery. He’d been accused of something he could never do. Something X-eins could never believe he was capable of. And yet it was X-eins who had to stand there and interrogate him as if he were the enemy. As if their bond meant nothing. Of course H-neun is mad at him.

 He doesn’t want this! He doesn’t want this silence! He doesn’t want to feel this cold around his sunny H-neun!

 “Does the fact I look up to Cain so much really bother you that much?” X-eins says, closing his book. He doesn’t turn to H-neun. He can’t yet. They went through this in what Cain called group therapy but X-eins knows that they didn’t say everything. “I thought you looked up to him too.”

 “It bothers me that you’re so blindly trusting of him you don’t care about what accusations he throws around,” H-neun replies, voice level and smooth. “Every promise we’d ever made meant nothing the moment he told you I was a traitor.”

 “That’s not true,” he snaps, turning and glaring up at him. “I told you, I never believed it. I said what I had to. I didn’t ever believe you would betray us.”

 “Then why-”

 “Because if I didn’t we would all be under suspicion. I had to believe you’d prove yourself innocent or we’d all have been put to death, just like with F-sech.”

 H-neun flinches. X-eins is sure he does. It almost drives X-eins to say something. To make a comment. He stands slowly and pulls himself up onto H-neun’s bunk. F-sech still bothers him. H-neun never seemed that bothered but he and F-sech had been close. Maybe he was just putting on a mask for X-eins.

 

 “I said what I had to,” X-eins insists. “I’m sorry that it hurt you, but what you said about us in return was beyond acceptable.”

 “I was being accused of capital crimes by my best friend,” H-neun replies. “I was well within my rights to be angry.”

 X-eins sighs. “You were.”

 H-neun focuses on his pistol and X-eins sighs. He pulls closer onto the bed and leaning lightly against H-neun’s side. This isn’t the bit he’s good at. He closes his eyes, wishing desperately H-neun would find the ability to read his mind again and just _understand_ how X-eins feels. He wishes he could just transfer these feelings through his touch, by leaning against him like this, he could just get H-neun to understand him without having to find the right words. His fingers trace H-neun chest lightly, palm resting over his heart.

_Please understand, Hano._

 After a few moments, H-neun sets down his pistol and relaxes. X-eins smiles. He’s glad. H-neun still understands as well as ever. He lifts his head slowly and H-neun tilts his head down to gaze back at him. X-eins’ pulse quickens a little, gazing up at him. It's odd. His heart has been racing when it's just him and H-neun alone together recently.

 “Are you alright, X?” H-neun says softly. “You’re kinda flushed.”

 “I’m just glad you’re not mad anymore,” X-eins replies.

 His voice is weak and hoarse and X-eins finds himself watching H-neun’s mouth as he laughs and rests their foreheads together. He smiles weakly and lifts his gaze back to H-neun’s. He finds himself thinking just how handsome H-neun is. Even at fifteen he has girls in the academy fawning over him. A few of the teachers had commented he’ll grow up into a heartbreaker. He’s heard a few sneering remarks that H-neun’s looks are going to take him a long way. X-eins always hates both those comments. H-neun is a survivor and a soldier, no matter how he looks.

 “I hate when we fight, Hano,” X-eins whispers. He closes his eyes, trying to ignore H-neun’s breath on his lips. How it makes his heart race and sparks race through him. What is this? What’s happening to him? “I’m sorry.”

 “You know I love you, X,” H-neun replies, nudging his nose against X-eins. “Even when we’re fighting, I love you. You’re my favourite person, after all.”

 X-eins smiles and nods. Without their own families, they’ve found that love in each other. Unconditional and unwavering, even when they fight. Brothers and best friends. As they should be. No one else will ever know H-neun like he does. Not those girls who ask him on dates, the teachers who make comments under his breath, the other soldiers who fight with them. Even their team. They will never understand his H-neun. Not in the way X-eins does.

 “Even if I’m not your favourite person,” H-neun sighs, turning away. X-eins’ eyes open and he frowns as H-neun puts on an obviously exaggerated pout. “That’s Cain, right?”

 “Hano!”

 “What? You think I don’t know when you have a crush? I know when I’m not needed anymore. My crybaby’s all grown up.”

 X-eins would never not need H-neun though.

 

 They’re not talking about what happened last night. Although, they’re not actually talking at all, and haven’t really been all morning.

 X-eins and H-neun walk through the woods in silence sidebyside. X-eins is carrying the backpack, H-neun’s fingers drum against his knife hidden in his pocket. They’d left a tip for a owner with their keys and a thank you note. People were more likely not to sell them out if they were nice, they’d found. And then they were off into the woods, the opposite direction to Cain’s forces. It had occurred to them they might be walking into a trap. Cain made his departure so obvious, he might have circled around to trap them heading away. But they’d take that chance.

 “Hano-”

 “Let’s not, X,” H-neun sighs. “Not right now.”

 X-eins frowns but gives a nod. He thinks he might have missed something in the subtext of light night. There’s an odd tension between them. Was the mistake last night more than just a mistake? X-eins cheeks warm at the thought. He replays the conversation to himself again and again. Had they been flirting? H-neun thought he was flirting back? _Had_ he been flirting back?

 X-eins gazes over at H-neun silently as they walk. He’s certainly handsome. The amount of women he has fawning over him makes that obvious. You’d have to be blind not to see it. And it’s not the first time X-eins has found himself considering it. The question is, does handsome translate into attractive to X-eins?

 

 “You never did get around to talking about your run in with the vampires,” X-eins says in an attempt to break the silence.

 “What’s the nearest city to us here?” H-neun mutters.

 “I don’t know,” he sighs. “I didn’t prepare for this before I came. I trusted Cain. You?”

 “I didn’t think that far ahead,” he says, glancing away. “To be frank, I wasn’t sure we’d get this far.”

 “But we did,” X-eins says. He smiles, trying not to make it too awkward. “And we’ll keep going. Together.”

 He reaches out, his finger brushing H-neun’s lightly, as they always did. But, for the first time, rather than the reassuring smile he always flashes in return, H-neun snatches his hand away as if burned, not even glancing at X-eins. This is why any romance between them, whether X-eins is interested or not, would never work. This is why relationships are discouraged between soldiers in Dorssia’s forces. One mistake and suddenly over a decade of friendship has become an awkward silence.

 “H-neun-”

 “Don’t, X,” H-neun says. “Just, leave it for now. We’ll talk about it when we’re somewhere safer.”

 X-eins doesn’t mind H-neun focusing on the job at hand - sometimes he’d kill for it - but this isn’t right. Fixing up their relationship like this isn’t X-eins’ specialty. Usually, no matter who’s fault it actually is, H-neun is the one who makes the first move towards patching things up. X-eins so rarely has to be the one stepping forward and trying to find the right words.

 The awkward silence doesn’t sit right at all, but he can’t figure out what to say to make things better.

 What does H-neun always do to make things better? What does X-eins normally do when faced with this? He’d climb into H-neun’s bed and put his weight against him until H-neun would relent and understand that X-eins still holds him most precious above all else. Not really an option right now. He’ll just have to find a way to put it into words.

 

 “You were all I was thinking about,” X-eins says at last. H-neun glances over at him. It’s a start. “When I was facing the council. I could only think about you. Even before I realised what was going on, I was thinking about you. Cain seemed to think it was best I didn’t know my fate until there was no way out. He presented it to me as an opportunity, and honour. Like a promotion into a different area of work.” He sighs and glances over at H-neun, who’s watching with a frown. “Even then, I was thinking about how you’d react.”

 “If you really were being promoted like that, into management or something, I’d be proud of you,” H-neun replies. X-eins frowns and glances away, pushing his glasses up. “You’re my best friend. How could I ever hold you back from something you wanted?”

 “Of course, I knew you’d react like that. I never doubted that for a second. If I really was moving on, you’d be happy for me.”

 “I’d miss you. But I want you to do your best and have a good career. I’m not so petty I’d hold you back just to keep you by my side.”

 X-eins smiles a little. H-neun would let him go, no matter how much he wanted him to stay. It’s a nice feeling. That H-neun puts his progression first. Even before their promise to stay together. But it is a promise. X-eins doesn’t think he’d move on without H-neun at his side.

 Maybe this is what they call a dependant relationship.

 “I don’t want to be anywhere without you though,” X-eins says softly. H-neun smiles a little and nods. “And I thought once I was done with the council, I’d come and find you and we’d make up. I’d apologise for not noticing something was wrong sooner and we’d go out together to celebrate or something.”

 “Q-vier would have ruined that-”

 “Just the two of us.” H-neun frowns and tilts his head. “None of the kids. Adult time.”

 “Is that what we’re calling it now?” H-neun laughs. “There would be no adult time on a first date, X. I thought you had better manners than that.”

 “And then I remembered what a pain in the ass you are, and thought it’d actually be ok if I was possessed by a vampire because at least then I’d have some peace and quiet,” X-eins says, shooting H-neun an unimpressed glance. Although, at least they’re chatting and teasing again. Things are getting back to normal. Even if they are ignoring the issue. He smiles warmly and lowers his head. “I thought about how this council was straight out of those trashy movies you take girls to see on dates.”

 “Those movies are classics,” he mutters.

 “Trash,” he insists. “And when I knew I was going to die, when I could feel myself fading, I kept thinking about you. About how I was sure you wouldn’t be fooled for a creature wearing my skin even for a second. And how much it hurt that I was never going to see you again. In what I thought were my last seconds, all I prayed for was that some miracle would let me see you one last time.”

 “...X…”

 “And then a miracle brought you to me again.” X-eins smiles over at him. H-neun is staring back, checks surprisingly pink. “It’s irrational and emotional but sometimes I think… you might be my miracle yourself, Hano…”

 “I’m not,” H-neun sighs. “I’m no miracle. I’m an idiot.” X-eins shakes his head and H-neun elbows him lightly. “We’ve gotta work on your lines, X. You’re never gonna get a girl like that.”

 “I don’t want a girl,” X-eins replies firmly. “And they’re not lines. It’s the truth. I’m just not as good at making it sound easy like you are.”

 “Yeah, but when I say heartfelt stuff you think it’s a joke because it’s that easy,” he argues. “And it’s not _easy_. It’s actually kinda really hard to say some of this stuff. Especially when I know you’re just gonna laugh.”

 

 X-eins purses his lips. “Well then, tell me now.”

 “X-”

 “We’ve got nothing better to do,” X-eins says firmly. “We might as well talk, right? We’re not entirely sure where we’re going, after all, or how far it is to the next stop. Tell me now, honestly, what I’ve not been taking seriously.”

 “What? We’re going to have guy talk time?” H-neun laughs.

 “Why not?” H-neun gives him an unconvinced glance. “Fine, let’s try a different approach. Do you really like Kriemhild? Or are you just messing around and flirting for flirting’s sake?”

 H-neun shoots him a glance before he sighs and shoves his hands in his pockets. “I _do_ like Kriemhild. She’s got a nice car, great taste in tea, reasonable fashion sense, although she looks better with that coat on than not, but that is the uniform’s fault more than hers. Impressive military capabilities, yes, uniform designers who know how to flatter a beautiful lady’s figure, no. Isn’t that Dorssia all over for you?”

 “You’re really critiquing Dorssia’s military uniforms?” X-eins laughs.

 “Fashion is one of my many hobbies, you know that,” H-neun replies.

 “And what’s this about tea? Don’t tell me you actually went on a date with her?”

 “I’m not the type to kiss and tell, X, you know that too. What about you? Any fun new books come up?”

 X-eins debates telling H-neun his teasing isn’t appreciated but there’s something warm in his eyes that makes him pause. H-neun is honestly asking him to talk about something he enjoys, even if H-neun doesn’t that much. He supposes that’s just another thing he adores about H-neun.

 

 So, X-eins chats away as they walk. H-neun seems happy to let him chat, giving input where necessary. It’s not that H-neun doesn’t read, they’re just different books to X-eins; transient young adult trash but H-neun enjoys them, and when he talks about them, X-eins has to admit he makes them sound like a wonderful escapist fantasy. They laugh that their own journey could be straight from any work of fiction. Risking it all for each other. On the run from a country they’d served loyally. Traitors who’d done nothing wrong.

 “That makes you my love interest then,” H-neun laughs.

 “Hardly,” X-eins replies. “I’d obviously be the main character.”

 “How?” he snaps. “I rescued you. That makes me your knight.”

 “Then you should be on your knees swearing to protect me.”

 H-neun grins, getting in front of him and stopping X-eins in his path. That grin always promises something that makes X-eins roll his eyes. But there’s no one around to see and X-eins can’t bring himself to tell H-neun off.

 “As you wish, my lord,” H-neun declares. Over dramatic and loud, but sort of endearing. He drops to one knee, head bowed, and X-eins glares halfheartedly. Now what’s he up to? “Of course, as you gallant knight, I would protect you with all I have.”

 “You’re ridiculous,” X-eins scolds lightly.

 H-neun just smiles, catches his hand and brings it slowly to his lips. X-eins is certain his face is entirely red as H-neun kisses his knuckles lightly. And with such a look of seriousness and reverence. After a moment, H-neun lifts his head and X-eins is taken aback by the intensity of his gaze.

 “I would lay down my life for yours without hesitation, just to know you’re safe, X-eins.”

 “H-neun…” X-eins scowls and pulls H-neun up from the floor, fixing him with a firm glare. “Don’t be so stupid.”

 H-neun looks a little hurt by the telling off, which does make X-eins a little guilty. “X-”

 “I would never allow you to sacrifice yourself for me.” He’d usually leave it at the telling off, but today he feels like he should explain himself. And he really isn’t fond of _that_ look. “We promised to do this together. Besides, if you died protecting me, I’d probably do something emotional and reckless, like get myself killed avenging you. And then what would be the point. We’re doing this together or not at all, understand?”

 H-neun smiles, surprisingly shyly, and X-eins’ chest warms. Their fingers shift and X-eins lifts H-neun’s hand to his own lips. If H-neun will lay down his life for X-eins, it’s the all X-eins can do to promise the same in return.

 “Don’t leave me behind, Hano,” he says softly, eyes falling shut.

 There’s a peaceful stillness and X-eins is glad H-neun lets the silence sit. For a few long moments, the two of them stand in comfortable quiet, listening to the world around them. He strokes H-neun’s fingers lightly, around them a bird is chirping, leaves flutters and an engine-

_Engine_?!

 

 They turn, watching the path beyond. There are people coming. H-neun’s hand tightens around his and he pulls him away to the side of the path. They can’t be sure if they’ll be soldiers or civilians.  They can’t take the chance. H-neun glares up around before pulling up into one of the trees. X-eins tosses the bag up to him before pulling himself up to join him in the branches.

 There’s a car approaching. One of their 4x4s. Under the canopy of the trees, it’s easy to feel safe, but neither are naive enough to let their guard down. Both have their pistols drawn, watching with bated breath.

 “...should just preemptively assume you’re a traitor and put you to death too.”

_Q-vier._

 They glance at each other. That means A-drei and Q-vier have been called in to hunt them. They’ve probably got half the academy out here. If they could explain the situation to A-drei they might stand a chance, but Q-vier has always be hard to talk to.

 “I’m sure there’s some explanation, Q-vier,” A-drei replies. He’s sitting in the back, hair billowing in the breeze as they’re driven. There’s a Karlstein kid with them, gazing up at A-drei with an odd look of curiosity and distrust. How strange. “X-eins and H-neun would never just betray us without some kind of reason.”

 “Traitors are traitors,” Q-vier replies. “Death to traitors, remember? Oh!” He stands and waves. “Stop the car!”

 The car skids to a halt. X-eins would be glad that A-drei knows them well enough to know they’re not traitors, if it wasn’t for Q-vier right there under the branches they’re perched on. H-neun’s fingers twitch against his pistol and X-eins knows why. Their training tells them to shoot the threat before them. Q-vier is an obvious threat who needs to be removed. He won’t hesitate to open fire on them. All Q-vier has to do is look up and they’ll have no choice by to open fire. _Kill, don’t get killed._

 But he’s their friend. X-eins doesn’t want to repeat that mistake again. He doesn’t want to commit that sin again. And he doesn’t want to force that burden upon H-neun either.

_Don’t look up. Please, don’t look up._

 “Q-vier,” A-drei calls.

 

 Q-vier turns and H-neun’s shoulders drop a little. _Thank you, A-drei._ Q-vier glares at the path they’d been heading down. They’d hadn’t really been trying to hide themselves. It’s a well trodden path. There’s no need to hide their tracks. But theirs are the freshest tracks and they do just disappear. They should have known better.

 “There are tracks that just disappear,” Q-vier says. A-drei and the soldiers are out the car, checking the area. The Karlstein boy sticks surprisingly close to A-drei, who doesn’t seem to mind. Q-vier’s laughter doesn’t help ease the tense atmosphere. Perhaps the boy is equally unnerved by their young teammate. “They’re here, A-drei.”

 He giggles and X-eins shudders. He’s always felt sympathy for Q-vier’s prey. Now he understand far more than he ever wanted to. A-drei is right beneath them now, the Karlstein boy a few paces behind.. Despite seeming to get upset by X-eins’ declaration he’d have shot any traitors instantly, A-drei included, H-neun’s gun is quite clearly aimed at A-drei’s head. He’s willing to do something that obviously doesn’t sit right with him, just to protect their friendship. X-eins sighs silently and takes careful aim at the boy.

 “Hello! X-eins! H-neun!” Q-vier calls. “I know you’re here. I know you can hear me! Come out now and surrender so I can be the one to shoot you!” His voice drops and X-eins’ stomach churns. “I promise I’ll make it quick.”

 “We’re falling behind schedule, Q-vier,” A-drei says. “Cain has already been through here. If he’d passed anywhere near them, he would have known. Besides, Cain wants them captured.”

 “That’s no fun. Just like it’s no fun with L-elf. Why is no one any fun anymore?!” He sighs before raising his voice again. “Fine, guys! A-drei says I’m not allowed to kill you. It’s alright, I’ll just shoot you guys a bit. Non-fatally, you know?”

 “I’m not sure that’s the way to convince people to show themselves or give themselves up willingly, Q-vier.”

 “That’s ok,” Q-vier replies. “I want them to resist. That way I can use lethal force.”

 “Q-vier-”

 “If we capture them alive, they’ll go through a trial.” Suddenly, Q-vier sounds very serious. And almost sad. X-eins’ grip on his pistol loosens a fraction. Are they underestimating how much Q-vier actually cares for them? “If they resist, I can deal with them myself out here. They don’t deserve to be dragged home and put on trial like that.”

 A-drei sighs and tilts his head, gazing back at Q-vier with a small smile. “I’m sure they’d be glad to hear you still think so highly of them.”

 “Ah! Don’t make it sound like that!” he cries. “I mean they don’t deserve it after what they’ve done, that’s all. If they go on trial they might get let off! That’s all I meant!”

 “I’m sure.”

 “Don’t twist my words!”

 

 A bird takes off from its nest above them with a caw, sending twigs and leaves tumbling around them. A-drei’s head snaps up, followed instantly by his gun. X-eins is sure if H-neun wasn’t in full mission mode there would be curses. There’s a moment of stillness, the three gazing silently at each other. X-eins knows A-drei is planning a revolution, A-drei’s the real traitor around here, but he doesn’t want to shoot him. For a start, it would make them look more guilty, plus they’d have to kill Q-vier, the boy and the guards too. And A-drei _is_ their _friend_. Just as with Q-vier before, only the pull of their bond is stronger. The potential of the sin weighs heavier on his shoulders.

 “A-drei?” Q-vier calls. “Is it them? Are they that close? I knew it!”

 “...no,” A-drei says after a moment, loosening his grip and lowering his pistol.

 He’s taking a gamble. Betting that if he and H-neun wanted to kill them they’d have done it by now and he’s safe to lower his weapon. In return, they do the same, tilting their aims purposefully away from him in an obvious sign of non-aggression. If A-drei and the group left them, they’d do them no harm.

 “Just a bird.” A-drei turns and stows his gun once more. “We’re going to be late. Cain’s already been through here, let’s not second guess him.”

 X-eins makes a note to thank A-drei, and apologise for investigating him for Cain, if they ever get to meet again, face to face in neutral territory. He’s a good man. They should thank his good upbringing. And his friendship.

 

 They wait in silence for the car to pull away once more, for it to vanish into the distance and the road to become quiet once more. X-eins jumps down first. The bag lands at his side, letting H-neun maneuver carefully to avoid aggravating his injured shoulder. X-eins glances up at H-neun discreetly, only for a second since he’s supposed to be watching the road for any other patrols, but seeing H-neun actually struggling to get down with his injury make him smile.

 “What are you laughing about?” H-neun snaps.

 “I’m not laughing,” X-eins replies. “But I was just thinking how different this is to how things used to be.”

 “That’s because you got me shot,” he says.

 “When we were young, you’d be up and down trees in the blink of an eye.” H-neun jumps and X-eins grasps his hand as he loses his balance on landing. “Now who’s rescuing who, Hano?”

 “You’re not suppose to talk about who we were before Karlstein,” H-neun replies.

 “There’s no _supposed to_ anymore,” X-eins says, shaking his head. “We’re free from those rules now. And we never paid much attention to that anyway. It’s no secret A-drei is a prince, after all. And don’t we like to remind him of it.”

 “We’ve never been very good at pretending we didn’t know each other anyway,” he laughs.

 They really weren’t. Almost as soon as they could be, they were side by side again. Of course, they had pretended they were just standing next to each other and had got talking. They definitely hadn’t know each other before. The instructors let it slide, what else could they really do, but it didn’t fool anyone.

 

 “So, Cain wants us captured,” H-neun says quietly as they walk. “Wants to make an example of us, you think?”

 “Of course not,” X-eins replies. “I’m to become a body for someone else and likely, you’ll be blamed for my betrayal. You’ll be put through a show trial, not allowed any defence and put to a swift, silent death.”

 “Cheery,” he laughs bitterly. “They’ll keep me in isolation until you’re possessed. That you’ll tell them I somehow forced you along and you went with me to ensure your survival until you could find a way out. Cain will, no doubt, back you up on that, say that you got away from me the second I was distracted enough. With that evidence, I’d have no hope of defending myself, even if I could somehow make people believe there was a mysterious council of body snatching vampires controlling the world from the shadows.”

 “Even if A-drei tried to protect us, having seen us together and me obviously with you of my own free will, he’d be silenced,” he muses. H-neun nods. “They could just as easily call him a traitor with us. A royalist.”

 H-neun groans. “He can’t admit to having seen us together willingly, without admit he let us go. We’re so screwed.”

 “Then we just don’t get caught,” X-eins says. “Just like you promised. If we’re to die, I’d rather it was the two of us together, under our control. I won’t have your name dragged through the mud like that, and I certainly won’t be the one doing it.”

 H-neun nods. “You wouldn’t be the one doing it though.”

 “Don’t joke about that.”

 Codependency sounds like a pretty good description for the madness that’s driven them into this situation. But madness of or not, here they are with really no other choice. Perhaps surrendering and giving himself up would have been the right answer, but thinking about leaving H-neun just doesn’t sit right.

 “So, what was bugging up in the run up to this disaster?” X-eins says.

 “I left you a note in your locker,” H-neun says.

 “I never got it,” he replies. “What did it say?”

 “Nothing. I was just… Cain, you know? I’m glad you saw it yourself though. Stops you thinking I’m crazy.”

 “I’d never think you were crazy. Just intolerably drunk.”

 H-neun laughs. “Thanks, X.”

 “Q-vier, though?” X-eins says with a smile. H-neun laughs. “I didn’t realise he was that scary.”

 “We need to have a talk with him if we ever get the gang back together,” H-neun agrees. “And did you see the kid with A-drei.”

 “Our prince has an admirer.”

 “I don’t blame the kid. A-drei is pretty stunning. It’s the royal thing. His hair’s pretty great too. Not as great as mine, but pretty good.”


	6. Orders

 “We’re going to need a way to get money if we’re going to keep getting places to stay,” X-eins says, watching the screen in his hand. “Any cheap hostels would run the risk of us being reported or running into trouble. We could turn to crime and just break into places to stay or leave without paying, but then we’d be reported too.”

 “I’ve got enough money for a while,” H-neun sighs. “And we’re perfectly capable of sleeping rough but it’s not really a suitable long term solution. Or very safe.”

 He leans in, concealing them hacking the public phone. Using their personal ones would be a dead give away of their location, so they were off. Same went with getting into their money. Both their personal accounts and military expense accounts were off limits for now and could well have been frozen the second they were declared traitors.

 “But yeah, we’re gonna have to find money eventually. We can’t work officially, we don’t have any kind of accepted ID, since we can’t just declare we’re from Karlstein.”

 “Our best chance really is L-Elf, isn’t it?” X-eins sighs.

 “You’re the one who suggested it in the first place,” H-neun replies.

 “I was hoping we’d find a solution less damaging to my pride,” he says with a glare. “Still, I’m sure he’ll be more than happy to have more valuable assets under his command.”

 “You think that’s all he sees us as?”

 “He betrayed us. He shot A-drei. He’s been teaching those students how to kill us. I don’t think there’s any loyalty left in him, not that there was much to start with. How can you even try to excuse that?”

 “I’m not. I’m not that happy about this either, you know, X. It really is kinda a last resort and we really don’t have much choice. But, I dunno, I’d like to think he saw us as a little more than just assets to be used.”

 X-eins nods and put L-elf’s number in. Hopefully he’s still got his standard issue phone with him. It’s not like he’s on the run. Everyone knows where he is, they just can’t get to him or out maneuver him.

 

 “How can I help you, H-neun?”

 X-eins smiles at the twitch of H-neun’s eyebrow. No doubt he’s weighing up how much of a bad idea hanging up now would be. X-eins lays his hand lightly over his on the receiver. That L-elf could deduce it was H-neun instantly is impressive, but X-eins can see his reasoning. For someone to know his number, it would have to be someone from Dorssia’s military with high clearance. An unknown number means someone not on his phone, which means someone concealing their identity, likely a traitor or deserter. To contact L-elf now means someone willing to contact a traitor.

 The four of them are the smartest bet. (Three, they can’t really count Q-vier, can they?) And apparently H-neun is the one L-elf considers most likely to turn traitor.

 “And X-eins is with you.” Apparently the silence had given him that nugget of information. “I assume your contacting me means you’ve gone beyond your minor royalist leanings, H-neun.”

 X-eins frowns, glancing at H-neun. “Royalist-”

 “Oh, you hadn’t confessed that bit to X-eins yet,” L-elf says. “My mistake.”

 “Like hell it was,” H-neun mutters.

 “You think too highly of me, H-neun,” he says. “I’m not clairvoyant. However, given that you’ve risked contacting me, I will assume that you’ve done something predictably reckless, betrayed Dorssia, got caught and are on the run.”

 “This was a terrible idea.”

 “And yet it seems you have no other options. You wouldn’t have got in contact with me if you had any other choice.”

 “Is there any point in us being here for this conversation or would you like to have it by yourself and simply give us the conclusion when you come to it?” X-eins snaps.

 “Get in touch with your royalist contact, H-neun,” L-elf says. “We are working with them at this point. I will inform them we are waiting to hear from you. We can set up a mutually safe meeting place through them.”

 “You think it’s a trap?” H-neun snaps.

 “You can never be too careful,” he replies. “And it’s the students from Module 77 and the royalists who will need reassuring. I’m sure we’ll be meeting soon, assuming you don’t make any mistakes. I have the greatest faith in you both.”

 And with that, the line goes dead.

 

 H-neun sighs and leans against the wall of the phonebooth. X-eins glares as he hangs up before shoving the device at H-neun along with the receiver.

 “Call your contact.”

 “Ah, am I in trouble, X?” H-neun laughs.

 “Just do it,” X-eins snaps.

 H-neun sighs and tilts the screen away. H-neun was a royalist. His H-neun. No wonder he looked so guilt ridden and hurt when X-eins said he’d have shot any of them without hesitation if revealed as a traitor.

 “No more secrets, huh?” X-eins mutters.

 “I was going to tell you,” H-neun replies.

 “When?”

 “When I figured out how- Ah!” He grins and leans tilts his head back. His contact had answered then. “Of course I’m alive. I’m insulted you’d think otherwise.” X-eins steps closer, leaning in to try and hear just who he was talking to but H-neun pushes a hand firmly against his chest to keeo him at a distance. “Yes, he’s with me.”

 “H-neun,” X-eins says firmly, moving his hand.

 H-neun laughs and leans away. “Yeah, he’s totally jealous of our relationship. You should see his face right now. Hey, do you know anywhere nice I can meet an old friend for tea and maybe a private rendezvous, if you know what I mean?”

 Tea? X-eins pauses, glaring at H-neun but not trying to hear the conversation anymore. Instead, he leans on the opposite wall. H-neun watches him with a soft smile as he chats. It sounds casual and inane, but X-eins is certain there’s an intricate code he can only guess at. At least H-neun had given him an obvious clue. H-neun is smarter than he’s given credit for. Even if X-eins is still a bit mad at him.

 Either that or the idiot has already forgotten what he’s already told him about his relationships.

 “Don’t worry, we’ll be careful,” H-neun says at last. He smiles fondly and X-eins does his best not to be put out by that look. He pokes H-neun’s good shoulder lightly to get his attention. H-neun smiles in return and nods. “I look forward to meeting you for something stronger than tea sometime in the near future.”

 X-eins, of course, recognises when H-neun has been shot down. It’s a familiar look that he can read even without his glasses. And it looks like rather a harsh rejection. X-eins uncharitably thinks he deserves it. For keeping secrets, for being a royalist and for flirting so outrageously. He definitely deserves it. Especially for that soppy, doe-eyed look he’s wearing. H-neun never looks like that over some girl. Like he’s actually _in love_. Like he actually likes her! And right in front of X-eins. Utterly shameless. While X-eins is supposed to be mad at him. So much for always being most important.

_That really is childish_ , X-eins scolds himself. H-neun can do whatever he likes, with whoever he likes. If he actually likes her, X-eins should be happy for him. Being so childish and possessive is demeaning on both their parts.

 But it doesn’t stop him glaring daggers at the ground.

 

 “Maybe some other time then,” H-neun laughs, like he’s done nothing wrong. X-eins lifts his gaze a little. “We’ll be in contact tomorrow. We should arrange-” He frowns and tilts the receiver. “How rude.”

 “You got hung up on,” X-eins says.

 “Apparently,” he replies. “Some people just like to play hard to get. It keeps me on my toes.” X-eins rolls his eyes and pushes himself up straight. Their device goes back in their bag and H-neun sets down the receiver. “The things you work hardest for are the things that are most satisfying.”

 “You’re really smitten, are you?” he says, picking up the bag as they leave the phone booth.

 “More than you can imagine, X. I’ve been trying with this one for years. It’s love. They’re definitely the one for me. No one else will do. You really can’t imagine how long and hard I’ve been trying. The amount of patience I’ve had. And now I’m sure. I’m totally sure it’s going to happen soon. You really can’t understand how this feels to know you might finally get the one person you’ve always known is absolutely perfect for you.”

 “That’s nice.”

 And he does mean it, no matter how blunt is sounds. Sort of. He is, of course, glad that H-neun seems to genuinely believe that he has found someone perfect for him. What sort of best friend would he be if he wasn’t? But that doesn’t mean H-neun’s not just going through another phase. He’s found _‘true love’_ before and it’s come to ruin. And none of it means anything if he’s just going to be rejected every time.

 “I’m not jealous though, don’t tell people that.”

 “You’re totally jealous, X. You always get jealous when I’m in relationships.”

 “No I don’t. And you’re not in a relationship.”

 “Yeah, you do. You always get jealous when I’m interested in someone.” X-eins presses his lips together and pushes up his glasses. “You hate it when you’re not my favourite person. You shouldn’t worry. You’re always my favourite person.”

 “Stop that, I’m mad at you,” X-eins says firmly. “And we’ll talk about that later, somewhere more private. For now, we need a place to stay.”

 “Well, there’s only one place that’s marked as a place to stay,” H-neun says, pointing over at one of the buildings. _Bar and rooms._ “Not much of a choice.”

 X-eins nods. Short of canvassing the place for private rooms in return for some work, they don’t have much choice. It’s rather ridiculous to even think they could have a proper job. Karlstein didn’t really prepare them for the world of work outside the military. Even H-neun, who wasn’t the most intellectual of the group, was a highly capable field mechanic, medic and strategist. Even their basic levels were far beyond that of average people, but realistically they weren’t good for much other than life on the battlefield.

 

 “It took you two long enough.” X-eins frowns and glances at H-neun as they’re accosted by a barmaid. He didn’t know they were expected. Apparently H-neun didn’t either if the look on his face was anything to go by. “Your room’s been ready for hours.”

 “Our room?” they repeat.

 She glares at H-neun who smiles back in that ohso charming H-neun way. “Your dad said to expect you hours ago.”

 “Dad?” H-neun says.

 “Cain,” X-eins hisses.

 “He _is not_ my _dad_ ,” he snaps.

 “Step-dad,” the barmaid snaps. “Whatever. I don’t care about your daddy issues.” She shoves a set of keys into H-neun’s hand. “Up the stairs back there and to the right. You’re booked for two nights, breakfast included as long as you’re not a pain in my ass.”

 “He’s _not_ my _dad_ ,” H-neun insists as X-eins pulls him away. “I look _nothing_ like him.”

 “Hush, H-neun,” X-eins replies.

 They’re not going to get into a conversation right now about how H-neun _does_ look a little similar to Cain, especially with H-neun’s hair half blond. They _do_ both have rather handsome face, strong, slightly square jaws and beautiful clear eyes that held the entire room’s gaze. He’s certainly not going to admit to thinking that sort of thing, either.

 And he is still supposed to be mad at him.

 “X, say something-”

 “Cain was here before us and expected us,” he says as they head up the stairs. “Does that not worry you a little more than him posing as your father?”

 “Maybe,” H-neun grumbles. His arms fold and he glares silently at nothing. X-eins just sighs. “Fine, yes! So we just go into this carefully, right? He let us go in the last town and now he’s set up a room for us. He’s playing some kind of game with us. Yes, it bugs me and, yes, I’m kinda freaked out about it. We just need to be aware that this is some other plan and he thinks he can manipulate us.”

 “L-elf and Cain are always playing games,” X-eins says. “They probably _can_ manipulate us.”

 

 H-neun nods and X-eins turns the key in the lock. H-neun pulls his pistol discreetly, moving in front of X-eins as they push open the door. They sweep the room quickly but there’s no ambush waiting for them and no sign of any surveillance. Just a phone on the table.

 “This is so weird,” H-neun says as X-eins locks the door.

 X-eins has to agree. He frowns, looking over the phone slowly. There’s a black label on the back of it and a symbol in gold and red. A crest. X-eins doesn’t like that one bit.

 “Do you know what this is?” he says, tilting it so H-neun can see.

 H-neun frowns. “One of the shady branches of special forces.”

 “Essentially. It’s the crest of an old noble family taken on by the military. Deep cover. Blacklist operations.”

 “No way…”

 X-eins’ nods. This is what Cain’s aim is. He made a mistake and they slipped through his fingers, now he has to fix it. This is his solution. A mission so secret no one was allowed to know it was happening. It’s not unusual in itself for Karlstein graduates to go on such missions, it’s practically what they were raised for, but given they _had_ betrayed Dorssia and _are_ running for their lives, it does make X-eins uncomfortable.

 “Change of hypothesis,” H-neun says. Probably purposefully sounding like L-elf. “By claiming we’re on a blacklist job, he can excuse our actions as for the sake of a deep cover mission. I die in the line of duty and you return with any differences that will inevitably happen when you’re possessed being easily explained away by the trauma of what happened. You can even be given leave from field work and retire into a nice management job to recover, just like that old vampire probably wants. Where he could manipulate and control things. Just another way for Cain to get what he wants from us.”

 

 As if on cue, the phone rings.

 They, of course, both know it’s going to be Cain calling. Who else would it be? X-eins picks up the phone and joins H-neun sitting on the bed. What else can they do? As X-eins said, he knows exactly where they are and neither would be surprised to be thoroughly beaten by their instructor.

 “Cain,” X-eins says as they answer.

 “X-eins,” Cain replies. X-eins can _hear_ the smirk in his otherwise calm voice. “H-neun.”

 “What can we do for my dear papa?” H-neun says, eyes narrowed despite the light tone. “We should thank you for the room, right?”

 X-eins shoves his good shoulder as Cain chuckles. “What father would see his son to struggle to get by just because he’s being a little rebellious? It’s the least I can do.”

 “What do you want, Cain?” X-eins snaps before H-neun can start up an argument.”You’re obviously capable of predicting us, finding us and capturing us anytime you please, so why are you letting us go? Just for a twisted game of cat and mouse?”

 “We’ll come to that,” Cain replies. “I must congratulate you though. You have played an impressive game so far. I’ll even admit, you did get one up on me by remaining inside the manor that first night, and I was nearly fooled by you staying in such an obvious, tactically useless location in that tavern. I was expecting to have to be more lenient and allow you more chances, but I can see you’re managing without needing too many thrown chances. I am incredibly proud to have raised such fine young men. However, you are still children and I can find you and force you submit anytime I feel.”

 “Don’t you feel anything?” X-eins says. “You betrayed us-”

 “I already told you, I am proud of the both of you and more.”

 “And dodged every other question,” H-neun snaps. “What do you want? Did you really phone us just to mock us?”

 “I had a very simple reason for contacting you, actually,” Cain says. “I find before asking someone to do something, it’s important you show them what’s at stake. I will, of course, contact you shortly with details of your mission, but for now, I’ll demonstrate the stakes.” X-eins and H-neun glare down at the phone, staying silent as they wait. And after a moment there’s the sound of a door shutting. “A-drei. Anything to report?”

 “No sign of them, sir,” A-drei replies.

 “Is that so?” Cain muses. H-neun’s face twists into a silent snarl and X-eins glances away. Cain _knows_. “Perhaps I taught them a little too well.”

 “They are sons of Karlstein,” he says. “It would disappointing if they were so easily discovered, would it not?”

 “First L-elf and now H-neun and X-eins. If we can’t bring them to heel soon, you and Q-vier maybe looked at with suspicion.”

 “I understand that.”

 Cain sighs softly. “I do understand you’re torn, A-drei. Your friends and your country at odds. However, you must remember your position. You are as much a prisoner here as your family locked away elsewhere. If you are seen to be aiding the royalists, or your wayward friends, you could certainly be at risk.”

 “I am aware of that.”

 “I just want to make it clear. I appreciate your sentimentality and dedication to them, but do not allow it to cloud your judgement. Bring them home if you can, but remember that being seen to be helping them and communicating with them, seeing them and letting them go, could result in your own life being forfeit.”

 The line goes dead and H-neun curses under his breath. X-eins doesn’t blame him. Cain is making an obvious statement. Even if A-drei didn’t know they were on the line, it was obvious what Cain was saying: any contact between them will result in A-drei’s life being taken. What a typically Cain move. Just like L-elf too. There was no option but the one Cain wanted them to take. They would have no choice but to follow him into whatever plan he had them for.

 Still, they had a few options left. Until Cain shuts them off too.

 

 “You’re a royalist,” X-eins says after a moment.

 “You still mad?” H-neun says.

 Not so much mad anymore, but hurt. H-neun had lied to him all this time. How long has it even been going on? How long has H-neun been a traitor? He sighs heavily and lowers his head. He supposes he can understand why H-neun didn’t tell him after he confessed to investigating A-drei. He said he’d have shot any of them the moment they confessed. But he still doesn’t understand how he’d been so blind. Lying to H-neun always kills X-eins. Keeping secrets from him is always hard. Why doesn’t H-neun feel the same? Why can’t X-eins ever see what’s going on with him like H-neun does him?!

 “Say it.”

 “What?”

 X-eins lifts his head, gazing up at H-neun silently for a long moment. “I need you to tell me. Say it out loud. Please.”

 “Like a confession?” H-neun says, eyes narrowed slightly. “You expect me to list my crimes?”

 “I think, more like, absolution,” X-eins replies. H-neun frowns and X-eins pulls his pistol slowly. “For both of us, I think.”

 “You’re kidding?” he hisses.

 “ _Hano_.” He frowns and rests the barrel against H-neun’s forehead. “Confess for me. Just like last time. Tell me the truth. What have you done?”

 H-neun’s jaw clenches and X-eins waits patiently. They sit in silence for a moment and H-neun plays with his earrings nervously. X-eins sighs and reaches over, taking his hand gently to stop his nervous fidgeting. Not that he moves his gun. He needs H-neun to say it. Maybe it’s him being ridiculous and asking for more than he should, but he wants to hear H-neun say it. He wants to know H-neun isn’t lying. Just like when they had been younger, when H-neun was accused of things X-eins couldn’t believe. Only now H-neun is telling him he _is_ guilty of everything X-eins believed he could never do. He has to have him say it outloud. H-neun would never lie to him, right? So he has to say it.

 “I worked with the royalists,” H-neun admits finally. “And I’m not entirely unsympathetic to their cause.” X-eins nods and shifts his grip on his pistol. H-neun closes his eyes with a bitter smile. “Go on then.”

 “Idiot,” he whispers.

 He taps the gun lightly against H-neun’s forehead. H-neun’s eyes snap open and X-eins smiles. Did H-neun really think he would? After everything that’s happened the past few days, H-neun still thought X-eins would shoot him for confessing to being royalist? He squeezes H-neun’s hand tightly as he tucks his pistol away.

 “Talk to me, Hano. No more secrets, right?” X-eins says firmly. H-neun nods a little and squeezes his hand in return. “Was it Kriemhild that got you into it? You really do like her. She strung you along and got you involved with the royalists?”

 “How would you-”

 “You said you went out to tea with her,” he says with a small smile. “And then you talked about it with your contact. If I had to guess, I’d say tea was a code for a royalist meeting. Was it her who got you involved? Or A-drei?”

 “Leave Kriemhild out of this,” H-neun snaps.

 “Her then,” he sighs. “For all you tell me about my supposedly pointless manners, you really are too much of a gentleman for your own good sometimes. Tell me she at least seduced you into it and you didn’t just jump into it to impress her.”

 “I don’t kiss and tell, X. Remember?”

 “For goodness’ sake , H-neun. You’d throw away your loyalty to get laid? How noble. I’m sure she trained you well. Maybe we should have tried it a long time ago. You get laid when you do a good job. Eventually you start to believe the ideology she’s feeding you. I can’t believe you let her and A-drei do this to you! Don’t you remember what the royalists have done to us? Don’t you remember where your loyalties lie? Do we mean so little to you?! Do _I_ mean so little to you?!”

 

 H-neun’s brow furrows, eyes burning with an odd fury that ignites something in X-eins’ chest. There’s something incredibly attractive about H-neun’s fury. And something infuriating. Someone had taken advantage of H-neun. Of his obvious weaknesses. This is why X-eins has to be around to look after him. He can’t do much for H-neun but he can keep him on track sometimes. He can protect him from this. He’s too easy to manipulate with simple tricks. With the right bait. His obvious adoration of Kriemhild had been a simple thing to take advantage of the second they needed him for something. And now H-neun really is a traitor. All because of her!

 “You’re starting to sound really jealous, X,” H-neun says, holding himself together impressively well. “This is getting kinda ridiculous. It’s really not like that.”

 “And you’re starting to sound like an idiot who can’t think straight the second there’s a bit of cleavage on show,” X-eins replies. “It’s not ridiculous. Even if we somehow survive this, you’re everything they’ve accused you of being. Everything you promised me you’d never be. Because of her!”

 He’s not jealous! He just wants to protect H-neun for once. H-neun always protected him and for once X-eins could have protected him in return and he’d been totally blind, thinking it was just H-neun being H-neun. Flirting with women for the sake of flirting. But she’d pulled him away from Dorssia. From _him._ He could have been executed if he’d been discovered before this disaster had forced them to run. She could have taken the one thing he has to hold onto. He won’t forgive her. He won’t ever forgive her for trying to take H-neun from him!

 

 H-neun’s muscles tense. X-eins knows that look and moves first. He’s not going to get into a fight with H-neun. He very rarely wins when he and H-neun actually fight, anyway. Not to mention, the idiot will hurt his shoulder more. So he spring forward and shoves H-neun back to the mattress. He purposefully presses a hand to H-neun’s injured shoulder. It’s just enough pain to force H-neun to be still beneath him.

 They glare at each other for a moment before X-eins leans down closer as he relaxes a little as they start to calm a little. H-neun might not be fighting to avoid further injuries, but stunning emerald eyes are still blazing with fury and fire. Is he really so smitten with Kriemhild? Or is that just H-neun? He can’t help wonder if H-neun would put himself in this position for him. If H-neun would defend X-eins so vehemently. Would he do the same for anyone? If X-eins was actually special, would H-neun really have turned to the royalists? After everything?!

 Sometimes X-eins wonders if he even knows H-neun anymore.

 “X?” H-neun whispers eyes softening.

 X-eins blinks. He hadn’t realised they’d got quite so close. X-eins is practically lying on top of H-neun; their chests pressed together, legs tangled and breaths mingling. His pulse is racing again. There’s a static in the air. Like every brush of their skin spends sparks through him. X-eins gazes down at H-neun, struggling to make sense of it. He’s never felt anything this intense before. Why is he acting like this? Lashing out? Arguing? And now feeling like this? Just what is H-neun doing to him?

 “Hano… I...”

 Even X-eins’ voice is trembling. He can’t get ahold of himself. And the moment he can tear himself from H-neun’s eyes, he finds his gaze drawn to his mouth once more. H-neun licks his lips and X-eins is sure the room is getting hotter.

 “X?” H-neun says, tilting his head. X-eins’ swallows thickly. Was H-neun’s voice always this charged and rough? “You…?”

 

 He wants to kiss H-neun.

 

 X-eins jerks back at the realisation, staring down at H-neun. He wants to _kiss him._ He wants to _kiss_ his _best friend_ after an argument over his relationship with someone else.

 The entire thing is utterly mortifying!

 Especially the way H-neun is gazing up at him. Something vulnerable and open and shy. Something even X-eins so rarely get to see. And it makes X-eins’ breath catch in his throat. Makes this incredible, near overwhelming, urge that much stronger.

 “I apologise,” X-eins says, forcing himself to turn away. If H-neun keeps looking at him like that he won’t be able to resist this unwanted desire much longer. “I crossed a line with some of my comments.”  He stands slowly and heads towards the bathroom. “Forgive me. We’re both stressed and on edge. We’re both acting out of character.”

 “X,” H-neun sighs. “It’s fine. Really. Come back here.”

 “Give me a minute,” he says, taking off his glasses. “I think we both need to cool off.”

 X-eins shuts the door behind him and runs the taps, splashing cold water on his face. This entire thing is ridiculous. They’d just been having an argument over H-neun’s relationship with the woman he’s been interested in from the moment he met her, shouting and throwing accusations, and it’s now X-eins picks to realise he’s interested in him. He groans, glaring up at his blurred reflection. He’s such an idiot.

 

 “X?” H-neun calls, knocking gently on the door. “X, is everything ok?”

 “Yes,” X-eins calls back, doing his best to keep his voice steady. “Yes, fine. I just need to calm down a bit. I think we both got a bit heated.”

 The door opens and X-eins wishes he’d locked it, but he doubts that would have done much good anyway. They can pick locks, after all, and he doubts these are sophisticated locks. H-neun walks over slowly, X-eins watching his blurred shape in the mirror. He smiles weakly in return and H-neun rests his chin lightly on his shoulder.

 “Don’t worry about it,” H-neun says, hands resting lightly on X-eins’ wrists. “It’s not the first time we’ve had a bust up under pressure like this right?”

 X-eins nods a little. It’s not. They’ve had arguments under the pressure of serious missions before. He’s never felt like that before though. X-eins has felt strange around H-neun before. But they always work things out. They always stick together in the end.

 “I said somethings I shouldn’t have, though,” X-eins murmurs. “And thought somethings I definitely shouldn’t have.”

 “We've all thought somethings we definitely shouldn’t have. I won't hold it against you. I love it when you're bad, in fact.”

 

 H-neun pulls X-eins around, knocking the breath from his lungs as he pushes him back to the wall, wrists pinned beside his head. There’s silence for a few long moments and X-eins stares back at H-neun, waiting for some kind of explanation. And trying to ignore that he can feel the heat of H-neun’s body so close to his. That he can feel his breath on his lips once more. It would only take the slightest movement and he could lean in and kiss him. He could pull H-neun in, kiss him breathless, make him understand how much he means to him.

 “What was with that look earlier though?” H-neun laughs, resting his forehead against X-eins’. X-eins frowns and takes his wrists from H-neun’s loose grip, sliding his hands up H-neun’s arms gently. “I don’t think you’ve ever looked at me like that before, X. Like you wanted to do something awful to me.”

 X-eins nods a little, reaching up and brushing H-neun’s cheek lightly. “I would never act on those kind of urges, though. No matter how insane you drive me, I would never give into those desires.”

 He would never allow such a mistake to ruin their friendship. After what happened the night before, that near miss that lead to such an awkward, sustained silence, how could he risk messing it up again? H-neun sighs and closes his eyes, leaning into X-eins’ shoulder. He wraps his arms gently around H-neun’s body and holding him close. It’s fine. H-neun wouldn’t be interested in him. He’s about as far from a beautiful woman as you could get. Not really H-neun’s type. It’s alright, their bond has been this close this long, change would be too much risk.

 “X,” H-neun whispers against his ear. “You know, I can take whatever you dish out. Whatever you want to do to me…” He laughs softly and X-eins’ is sure his legs have gone to jelly. He’s only being kept up by the wall H-neun has him pinned against, and his tight grip on his friend’s shoulders. “You know how it is, X; I’m yours and only yours. Order me around until I fall to pieces, use me until I’m exhausted. I’ll make your every desire reality.”

 “ _Hano!_ ” X-eins shoves at H-neun’s shoulders and jerks away, glaring furiously, sure he’s entirely red faced by now. “Why do you have to be like that?! What kind of point requires you to be so… so…”

 “That I’m waiting for you order, _X-eins_.” He smirks and turns away, heading out to the main room again. “Whatever you want, just say the word. Relax, X. Just relax and we’ll figure things out as we go.”

 Waiting on his order? X-eins glares at his back. He doesn’t think this is one of those things he can just order H-neun to do.


	7. Cain Dressel

 They’re both securely tied. X-eins doesn’t really remember how they ended up here, or why. It looks like they’re on a Dorssian train, heading through the countryside. No doubt to a major military base where they could be locked away and put on trial.

 H-neun is across carriage, surrounded by armed guards. They’re both bound and gagged, trust up in a way most suitable for such dangerous traitors. Karlstein special forces and traitors who’d gotten away from Dorssia’s best this far, they can’t take any risks with them. Their hand are held above their heads in heavy shackles, ankles held down to the floor to match. Even one around their necks, holding them back against their seats.

 What are they supposed to do now?

 

 “I do hope you’re comfortable, X-eins.” X-eins jerks his head up at Cain’s voice. Cain is smiling down at him. “It will be a long journey, after all.” He turns away and tips up H-neun’s head a little. “Wake up, H-neun. Your habit of being late to everything is getting rather tiresome.”

 H-neun blinks slowly, coming to with the a slight shake of his head. He takes in the situation just as quickly as X-eins had, casting a quick glance around, giving the chains a testing tug and finally settling back, knowing they were stuck for now.

 “Good,” Cain says. “You let your guard down. You disregarded your training and fell asleep with no one on watch in a room provided to you by your enemy. And I thought I was going to be impressed by what you tw brought to the hunt. The two of you are to stand trial immediately upon arrival. It will be broadcast to all of Dorssia, to ensure everyone knows not even Karlstein’s finest agents will escape punishment. Treachery will not be tolerated. Perhaps even on frequency, L-elf will see. So he will know your fates.” He glances at the guards around them. “Leave us.”

 It only takes a moment before they’re alone. Just the three of them. Cain smiles. For now, there’s little more they can do. They’re completely stuck. Cain knows exactly how to have them restrained so they can’t escape with any kind of ease.

 “Of course, I can’t allow you two to reach your destination,” Cain says. X-eins’ head jerks up and H-neun’s chains rattle across the carriage. “Did you really think I’d let you two declare what you knew on a live broadcast? Or risk you being found innocent? No, I have orders to ensure that in the time between my disembarking from the train and your escorts arriving, the pair of you will have broken free, murdered you guards and have been mortally wounded in the process.”

 They both yell through the gags, pulling desperately against the chains holding them. They have to get out. They have to get out of here. They have to get away before Cain can carry out his plan. But how can they? They’re stuck and unarmed, they don’t even know where they are. Cain sighs and cups H-neun’s chin, tilting his head up again.

 “Unless, of course, you have another idea, X-eins?”

 H-neun shakes his head quickly as X-eins gazes over. Cain is once again offering him the chance to save H-neun’s life by sacrificing his own. How can he do anything but accept? He nods weakly and H-neun yells furiously as Cain smiles. He reaches over, pulling his gag away and letting X-eins breath easily once more.

 “You understand?” Cain says. X-eins nods. “H-neun doesn’t seem so keen. Can you make him behave?”

 “Let me talk to him.”

 

 Cain releases him and X-eins stands slowly. With the weight of the chains lifted, X-eins all but sprints across the carriage to H-neun. He crouches in front of him, pulling the gag away with trembling hands.

 H-neun looks predictably furious. “X-”

 “Shut up,” X-eins hisses.

 His hands press to H-neun’s cheeks and he leans up, pressing his lips desperately to H-neun’s. H-neun goes still and silent and X-eins draws back slowly, thumbs brushing his cheeks gently. He licks his lips nervously, a little unsure what to do. He’d kissed H-neun. Dear lord, he’d actually kisses H-neun. And it felt _so_ good.

 “I can’t let you risk  your life, when I could save it,” X-eins whispers.

 “No, X-”

 “I love you, H-neun.” H-neun’s eyes widen and X-eins smiles weakly, pressing another light kiss to his lips. “I love you. I won’t you throw your life away for me any longer.”

 He kisses him again, this time lingering and soft and _returned_ by H-neun. There’s a moment of silence and they lean their foreheads together. H-neun had kissed him back. He sighs and leans into H-nuen’s ear, kissing his temple softly and lowering his voice to weak whisper.

 “Together or not at all, Hano. Trust me.”

 H-neun tilts his head, pressing their lips together once more. Finally, X-eins stands and turns to Cain. He swallows thickly and nods.

 “Swear you’ll let him go,” he demands. “Give me your word, you’ll let H-neun go in return for me giving my body to the council.”

 “You have my word,” Cain replies, holding out his hand. “H-neun will go free, unharmed and unhunted. I will release him and allow him to escape once you’ve been secured and witnesses removed.”

 

 X-eins nods and takes his hand, letting Cain pull him in. He smiles over at H-neun over his shoulder and H-neun smiles back weakly. He can do this. He can risk it all just to save H-neun. Cain guides him away towards to the door at the back of the carriage with a hand on his shoulder.

 X-eins takes a deep breath as Cain opens the door. And then takes his chance.

 He grabs Cain’s knife from his belt and twists, grasping the key with the other hand and plunges his blade into Cain’s spine. He won’t let anyone take H-neun from him. He slams his boot into Cain’s back, knocking him through the door and, if he’s lucky, under the tracks. X-eins slams the door shut and locks it, even knowing how little it will do, before returning to H-neun.

 “How much of that was to trick him?” H-neun says as X-eins unlocks chains.

 “Does it matter?” X-eins replies, cheeks warming slightly.

 “Kinda.”

 “No, it doesn’t.”

 He grabs H-neun’s hand and pulls him away. Suddenly a strange reverse of how they’d escaped from the castle. He’ll think about that more later. He drags open the opposite door and the pair bolt through.

 Only to stop dead.

 

 “That was impressive,” Cain chuckles, raising from his desk with slow applause. It’s Cain’s office? His office at the academy? How is that possible? H-neun’s grip on X-eins’ hand grows crushing once more but it’s still reassuring. “Such ruthless determination and dedication, to the point where you would even strike again me. I’m incredibly proud of you two.”

 He strides across the room and the pair draw closer together. It’s only now X-eins noticed the knife in his hand has vanished. Cain smiles, visible eye softening into something warm and tender as he pulls them by their joined hands. There’s something oddly soothing about his touch. About the way he wraps his arms around them and holds them close. X-eins is sure there’s a soft green glow. Like the vampire’s magic. But what suddenly he doesn’t care. Cain is holding them close. They’re safe and warm. Cain is here to look after him.

 “You boys really don’t understand, do you?” Cain murmurs and X-eins can only stare as he tips up H-neun’s chin. “How special you are.”

 He smiles, leaving X-eins completely in awe as he captures H-neun’s lips in a soft, tender kiss. And H-neun is willing and pilant, fingers sliding up Cain’s neck into his hair, cheeks dusted a soft pink as he returns his kiss. Cain’s hand traces down H-neun’s back and over his hip.

 “How much I truly love you two,” Cain says softly.

 H-neun tucks his head into Cain’s shoulder, eyes hazy and cheeks flushed. And suddenly X-eins is completely distracted from how stunning H-neun looks by Cain’s mouth over his. He and H-neun were precious to Cain. He’d always believes that. Even if he’s not their Cain, hasn’t he always been good to them? He’s absently aware of H-neun watch them him out the corner of his eye. Does H-neun think of him like that too? Even with H-neun there to focus on, X-eins can’t think. His eyes flutter shut as the hazy warmth overwhelms him, falling deep under Cain’s spell, unable to resist the loving kisses and teasing fingers in his hair to guide him.

 “My boys,” he says, pressing another light kiss to X-eins’ lips and then to H-neun’s. “My precious, beautiful boys. You really cannot possibly imagine how much I love you two.”

 Loves them. Cain loves them. Why would he had done all this if he loves them? He doesn’t understand why. Cain loves them so much why wouldn’t he do this to them? He wanted to believe it. That Cain really loves them. That he is the man they’d always believed in. He closes his eyes, fingers sliding between H-neun’s against Cain’s chest. H-neun squeezes his hand back, the both resting against their Cain.

_Please, be their Cain still._

 “It’s why it pains me greatly what I must do to you.”  

 Fangs press lightly against his throat and X-eins jerks as they sink in.

 

 X-eins jerks away, panting heavily in the darkness, his pistol in hand, staring into the darkness. It’s only a second later that H-neun is at his side, his own pistol drawn. He looks almost as rattled as X-eins feels. Both expecting something that isn’t there.

 “Sorry,” X-eins says after a moment. He takes a deep breath and lowers his gun. H-neun doesn’t. “I’m sorry, Hano. Just a dream. I didn’t mean to startle you. Or wake you. It’s alright.”

 He reaches over and lays his hand gently over H-neun’s. It’s shaking. H-neun’s hand is shaking. He’s not even looking at him. As if he hasn’t seen him. X-eins frowns. Had H-neun been shaken from his sleep not by X-eins’ sudden movement, but something in his own mind?

 “Hano.” H-neun glances up at him as X-eins squeezes his hand, eyes clearing a little. “It’s alright. Just a dream.”

 H-neun nods slowly and lowers his pistol, his breath slowing back to normal. Something is very wrong. He’s never seen H-neun quite so shaken and alert either. He sighs and squeezes H-neun’s hand again, getting a crushing grip in return. H-neun won’t look at him still. Slightly concerning.

 “Is everything alright?” X-eins says.

 H-neun finally turns to him and nods slowly. “Yeah. Yeah, fine. Like you said. Just a dream.”

 “You too?”

 “Too?” X-eins nods and H-neun frowns. “Huh, did wonder why you were up before me. Figured I’d woken you or something.”

 “No… I thought I woke you…” H-neun nods and lies back. “Cain?”

 “Yeah.” He frowns and X-eins lies at his side, slowly entwining their fingers once more. “It was a really weird dream.” X-eins is sure he’s going red but the darkness makes it impossible to really tell. “Now we can’t even sleep without him haunting us.”

 “It… wasn’t a terrible dream…” X-eins says quietly. H-neun shoots him a skeptical glance. “Don’t look at me like that. You don’t know what happened. It was weird but… not unpleasant… mostly...”

 “And weirdly homoerotic,” H-neun laughs quietly.

 “You’re made your crush on me blatantly obvious, H-neun,” he murmurs. “You don’t get to complain about homoerotic dreams.”

 “Not obvious enough if it’s taken you this long to notice,” he teases, squeezing X-eins hand once more. “I got to kiss you though, so it wasn’t so bad.” X-eins smiles a little, hoping it doesn’t look as awkward as it feels. Weird dreams and teasing is all very well and good but H-neun really has no idea how X-eins really feels. If only weird dreams and teasing wasn’t all he got. “Although, you were more interested in Cain, as always.”

 X-eins tilts his head with a small smirk. “Not in the slightest. I was watching you the entire time.”

 H-neun frowns and tilts his head. X-eins frowns a little too. That was a little too similar. He rolls over slowly and  H-neun rolls onto his side to join him, both slowly coming to the same realisation. It’s not that far fetched, is it? Everything else that’s happened, all the magic and unexplained things going on, is it really a stretch?

 “We… had the same dream…?” H-neun says at last. Voicing what neither wanted to really admit. “With- with Cain? And us? You kissed me.”

 “It was a dream.”

 “The same dream. Which means it wasn’t just a dream.”

 “No, it was Cain playing with us,” X-eins says firmly, rolling away. “Some kind of… spell or something. I don’t know what those vampires can actually do.”

 

 “Magius.” They both jerk up at Cain’s voice, pistols once again in hand, finding the shape in the darkness. Cain sitting in the chair by the desk. “We are called Magius, not vampires. We feed on Runes. Blood is simply the most efficient way, and you neck is the best place for that. There are other ways to extract Runes but they would involve more prolonged contact.”

 There’s a heavy silence as the pair watch him and Cain, no doubt, smiles back in the darkness. Bullets won’t do any good. Gunshots will just get them into further trouble. Get them noticed and reported. But X-eins wants to. So much he wants to fire on Cain for everything he’s done to them. The betrayal and pain. For forcing H-neun into this position just to protect him. There’s a part of him hates Cain with all he has. Loathes him. Wants him dead.

 “Put those down, boys,” Cain says at last. “You can’t use them and they won’t work, you know both those facts.” Annoyingly true. He glances at H-neun and after a moment, they lower their guns. X-eins pauses for a moment before reaching over and picking up his glasses, slipping them on so he can actually see Cain in the darkness. “Thank you.”

 “What do you want?” X-eins snaps, he and H-neun moving closer together. “What was that?”

 “It was a dream,” he replies. “And before you ask, no. I did not control your dream, nor do I have any idea what you dreamt of. I allowed the pair of you to have the same dream. I set up the situation for you and laid the foundations. What you two dreamt was not my doing but your own. Your fantasies. Whichever one of you has the stronger mind and will, likely, will have been the one in control. Or, perhaps you’re so close that your subconscious minds are capable of working together.”

 X-eins glances at H-neun, who’s watching him discreetly. After a moment, he squeezes his hand and they turn back to Cain. That’s unimportant anyway. What’s far more important is what Cain intends to do with them. He obviously has a plan, and if he set up the situation they faced in the dream, he’s keen to remind them what a mess they’re in.

 “You’ve certainly made your point clear,” X-eins says at last. “We’re trapped walking down the path you’ve set out for us.”

 “Threatening A-drei was unnecessary,” H-neun snaps.

 “It was entirely necessary,” Cain says. “It make it perfectly clear to you that you couldn’t rely on him and to him that he has to keep his position in mind. Just as you, X-eins, must keep your position in mind. Should I consider you two no longer worth keeping alive, I will make sure you watch your beloved H-neun’s slow death before your body is taken.” X-eins scowls and H-neun squeezes his hand. “I’m glad I know my students so well still. Your reactions are pleasingly predictable.”

 “And what is it we’re supposed to do that’s so useful?” H-neun snaps.

 “Haven’t you figured that out by now?” he says with a small smirk. He stands slowly and strides across to the bed. They both draw back and Cain sighs. “Honestly, I have told you enough times, have I not? You two important to me. My boys.”

 “You’re not our Cain!” X-eins says. “You’re not the man we thought-”

 “You thought I was? My dear boys-”

 “Stop calling us that,” he hisses.

 “We’re not yours,” H-neun growls.

 “We’re his, if anyone’s.”

 “Quite so,” Cain replies, frustratingly calmly. He sits on the bed in front of them. “And he considered you both his. His boys. I met him before I took his body. He had a picture of you two on his desk. He called you his. Told me you’d been accepted into testing for Karlstein and he was so proud of you two, he couldn’t wait to see you again as his students.”

 

 H-neun lunges for him but X-eins grabs him before he can get too far, dragging him back with his arms around his shoulders. He sighs softly, hushing him and running his fingers through his hair. To hide his trembling hands as much as anything. It hurts. X-eins isn’t sure he’s ever felt something like this. A grief and anger so raw it’s a physical ache in his chest. Cain, the real Cain, had loved them as much as they had him.

 “I told him he was a little young to have kids your age, surely. He said his ambitions didn’t leave him much time for children or even dating but that was rather beyond the point anyway. He said you were special. He had a feeling about you two. You didn’t have anyone else, and you were special, so you were his.”

 “Is this supposed to help?” X-eins says, voice hoarse and raw. There’s a lump in his throat, his hands tremble and H-neun presses his hands back against him. There are tears stinging his eyes. “You stole him from us!”

 “I have looked after you,” Cain says. “I may not be the Cain you believed me to be, but I am the one you know. The man who raised you both. As he asked me to before I took his body. His last wish, he made me promise to look after you boys. To raise you and love you as he had wanted to. I did my best. And I did grow to love you two as far more than just an act on his request.”

 “Stop it!” H-neun cries.

 “If you loved us, why would you set us up like this?!” X-eins snaps. He lowers his head into H-neun’s shoulder, struggling to hold back the tears. He hasn’t cried in so. Why now? Why does this monster have to bring this up again? “Why me? You could have picked anyone, but you were going to give him me? Is that how little that love means to you?”

 “Because the body I intended to give them had escaped,” Cain says. They both lift their head and Cain smiles, reaching out and stroking their cheeks lightly. H-neun flinches away but X-eins can’t even find the will to do that. “Believe me, X-eins, had I truly desired you to be taken by a Magius, you would not have escaped. Nor would I have allowed H-neun to discover the situation, much less interfere. You would have been helpless.”

 “You- you set us up to be in this situation?” he says. “So we could escape?”

 “You said, you were giving us chances?” H-neun whispers. “You were giving us chances to escape. You want us running?”

 “You let us escape? You’re letting us live? That’s why we’ve been put on the blacklist project? To protect us?”

 “To give us a way home?”

 “Precisely,” Cain says softly. “I have given you this chance. I allowed this to happen so you could live, X-eins. When you escaped I made the case that you could be of use. You could bring home the original intended body, remove a thorn in the council’s side and return to my side where you belong.”

 “L-elf,” X-eins whispers, squeezing his arms around H-neun’s shoulders. It’s the only explanation and he knows H-neun is going to hate it. H-neun still wants to believe L-elf cared about them in someway. “Since we’re now beyond Dorssia’s grasp, we can reach L-elf. He’s the best Karlstein’s ever produced, he’s ideal.”

 “You want us to trade our lives for L-elf?” H-neun whispers. “You act like you care about us, say you love us and want to protect us, and in the same breath threaten us and the people we can about and ask us to sacrifice our friends?!”

 “I am asking you to protect you own lives,” Cain says. “To survive, no matter what the cost. What you’ve been taught. Nothing more.”

 X-eins glances at H-neun, who’s fists are clenched tight against his thigh and arm. He’s shaking and it’s all X-eins can do to try to calm him, stroking his his hair gently, hands as steady as he can make them. It’ll be ok. He’ll keep him safe. Even if he has to drag L-elf back by his own hands, he won’t let H-neun hurt anymore.

 

 “Can you…” X-eins frowns a little, glancing at H-neun once more. The pain in his eyes, shining with tears. H-neun doesn’t cry, but for Cain he seems to be breaking that rule. Suddenly, X-eins’ assessment that H-neun had stopped caring about Cain seems incredibly wrong. H-neun never stopped loving their Cain. Just not this one. “Is our Cain still a part of you?” H-neun’s head jerks up and Cain frowns. “Is there any way we can talk to the real Cain again?”

 “He’ll tell you the same. Survive.”

 “Can we though?” X-eins insists. “Can we talk to him?”

 “In theory,” Cain replies with a frown. “Yes. In theory his consciousness still exists within me. In theory, you can talk to him for a short period. I would need a strong supply of Runes after though, and you would have, at most, tend minutes.”

 “You can feed on us,” H-neun says without hesitation. They shouldn't be so bold. Who knows what Runes actually are, what he's actually taking from them, but they have to try. “Just let us talk to him again. Try!”

 X-eins squeezes his shoulders tightly. He agrees, of course. He knows they have to talk to the original Cain if they can. He nods a little and Cain sighs. There’s long moment of stillness and silence, H-neun and X-eins clinging to each other in hope. A soft green glow wraps around Cain. Finally, after what feels like hours hoping, the light fades and Cain’s gaze falls on them again with a small frown.

 “Colonel Cain?” X-eins whispers.

 “Colonel?” He glances down at his own uniform with a frown. “That thing has been busy.”

 H-neun throws himself forward before X-eins can stop him, not that he can hold H-neun back unless H-neun is humouring him, and throws his arms around Cain’s shoulders. Not that X-eins is far behind. It’s childish and stupid and goes against everything they’ve ever been taught but in front of _their_ Cain he suddenly feels like a child all over again.

 “What on earth- Boys, _boys_ ,” Cain says firmly, prying them off. He sighs and tips their heads up gently. “Young men of your age should not be acting so childish and needy.” They both nod a little, although X-eins certainly doesn’t feel like an adult right now. “Now, I seem to be missing a part of my memories for reasons I cannot explain right now. So please, who are you two and what on earth has got you behaving like this?”

 X-eins takes a deep breath, reaching for H-neun’s hand a squeezing tightly before lifting his gaze to Cain, raising his chin. He’s a soldier. He can’t be acting like a child.

 “X-eins Karlstein, Colonel,” he says, just about keeping his voice level.

 “H-neun, sir. His partner.”

 “Karlstein agents?” They both nod. “Then you should certainly have better control of yourselves. What happened?”

 “You were taken over by a creature that calls itself a Magius,” X-eins explains quietly. “They tried to do the same to me. You… the possessed you…”

 “I rescued him before they could do it,” H-neun says. “And we ran. We were declared traitors and that thing has been hunting us since. Now it wants to bargain with us for our lives. We wanted to speak to you.”

 

 Cain nods thoughtful and their grip on each other’s hands tighten as he considers them. He’s judging them, X-eins thinks. Appraising them. He can’t help hope they’re everything he imagined they’d grow into. If a little emotional. After a long moment, Cain smiles.

 “To escape the council, you two must be rather impressive,” Cain says. They nod a little. X-eins would like to think so. “As expected of Karlstein. When I was taken by the Magius, those boys were about to be tested for Karlstein. I wonder what happened to them.”

 He smiles warmly and H-neun grips X-eins’ hand. He doesn’t recognise them? Of course. He doesn’t know what he’s looking for. He probably still imagines children. Still students at Karlstein at most. He isn't expecting _them_. They’re not even in uniform. X-eins squeezes H-neun’s hand back gently and flashes a tight smile. It’ll be ok. They’ll just have to tell him. He’ll be proud of them, he’s sure.

 “I’m sure they managed. They’re both strong. They have a lot of fire. They have the will needed to live through Karlstein.”

 “It’s the year 71,” X-eins says. “If that helps you get your bearings.”

 “Ten years…” Cain frowns, gazing away for a moment. “Ten years in the blink of an eye. My boys will be…” He turns his gaze on them, watching them as if finally seeing them properly. “...young men…”

 He stares back at them and X-eins is pretty sure H-neun is going to break his hand any second if he keeps up this grip but neither say anything as Cain watches them. Appraising them once more. No doubt comparing them to the image of the children he has in his mind. Starting to figure out the truth.

 Names tumble from his lips. Names it takes even X-eins a moment to recognise as _theirs._ The names they’d discarded so long ago and not thought about since. The names Cain had known them by.

 

 “Come here,” Cain says, standing and holding out his hands. “Stand up. Let me have a look at you two.”

 They nod and stand quickly, each grasping one of Cain’s hands as he looks them over properly. X-eins certainly hopes they’re what he expects. Are at least aren’t a disappointment. Cain frowns a little and takes his hand away from X-eins, tipping up H-neun’s chin and inspecting him with a slightly scowl.

 “H-neun, correct?” Cain says. H-neun nods and Cain adopts what X-eins can only describe as a fatherly look of disapproval. “What on earth have you done to your hair?”

 “My- my hair?” H-neun repeats, eyes slightly wide.

 “Yes, H-neun. Your hair.”

 “I-” H-neun’s hands so absently to the blond half of his hair. “I mean- it’s- uh- The girls like it?”

 “Girls?” Cain says with a sigh and H-neun nods sheepishly. “Of course, you’re the age when girls are of interest to you now. And the earrings?”

 “They’re important to me,” H-neun argues, jerking back with his hands over his ears. Cain scowls and X-eins shoves his good shoulder. “Ow!”

 “What did you do?” he sighs as H-neun clutches his bad shoulder.

 “You shot me.”

 “Idiot child.” Cain pulls him closer and to look at his shoulder. “What did you do to deserve that?”

 “He was protecting me,” X-eins says. Cain glances over and nods. “The other Cain, he’s offered us a chance to go home. To protect ourselves and be free from the fate as traitors. If we track down and capture one of our former friends. We… we should do it, shouldn’t we?”

 “L-elf-”

 “He shot A-drei,” he snaps. “He’s not our friend anymore, H-neun, if he ever even was.”

 Cain frowns, inspecting H-neun’s shoulder gently as H-neun turns to glare weakly. “What if… what if L-elf isn’t himself either?”

 “H-neun,” Cain says quietly. H-neun glances up and Cain smiles gently. “It’s alright. You would do anything to protect X-eins, wouldn’t you?” H-neun nods. “If this L-elf had a gun pointed at X-eins, you would shoot him with hesitation?” Another nod. “Understand, H-neun, that is the position you find yourself in. Every enemy, no matter what the situation, is nothing more than a gun aimed at the people you love. If L-elf is the one who stands between you two and what you desire, then you must show no mercy.” He smiles and kisses his forehead lightly and X-eins is a little jealous that H-neun is getting all the attention. “Do not hesitate. Your shoulder will heal well. You’re doing a good job with him, X-eins.”

 “Thank you,” X-eins murmurs. Cain smiles and pulls X-eins in, pressing a light kiss to his forehead too. “We’ll do it. We’ll do whatever it takes.”

 “Do so,” he says firmly. “Survive. Grasp your dreams. Anyone who stands in your way is your enemy. Show no mercy.” He smiles, petting both their heads lightly. “That’s an order.”

 “Blitzendegen!” they reply with mock salutes and laughter.

 H-neun is grinning and X-eins can’t help smiling. It’s warm and comfortable like it’s never been with the Magius who called itself Cain. For years, this is the man X-eins has looked up to and adored. This is the Cain they’d loved all this time. X-eins is so glad to see him. To get to know him properly. To know that he really did love them. And that he can see them. He can see the men they’re growing into. Even if he couldn’t see them growing up.

 

 And then, just as quickly as it came, their happiness is ruined. Cain jerk’s H-neun’s head back and bites down on his neck. H-neun cries out, grasping at Cain’s shoulders but there’s nothing they can do. They had promised they would let the Magius feed from them in return for letting them have Cain, no matter how briefly. It’s time to pay the price.


	8. Confession

 “You two really are dedicated to each other,” Cain says quietly.

 H-neun and X-eins are sprawled out on the bed side by side, clothes dishevelled, necks bruised and both utterly drained. X-eins is sure they must look a state. He wonders what the real Cain would think if he saw them like this. He’s sure H-neun says something about them looking like they’ve just had sex and had X-eins had more energy, he might have told him off. Maybe Cain would be proud of the, willing to give up so much for what they wanted. It was worth it though, to have seen him for just a little while.

 Cain, the fake, smiles and turns away slowly. “Perhaps even I’ve underestimated that dedication. You two should take a day to recover before getting to your task, I’m sure you’re both exhausted. It’s a good job you have the room for two nights, isn’t it? If it’s any consolation, Mariko was right. You really do have delicious Rune. Perhaps because you’re young, fit and fresh. Syphoned Runes really aren’t the same. Relax, boys. You’ll be safe here until you’re recovered.”

 He sweeps out as if it was nothing more than a meeting to discuss a plan. The lock snaps into place behind him as the door shut. Suddenly that lock doesn’t make X-eins feel nearly as safe. He glares after Cain for a moment before turning to H-neun. He hopes he doesn’t look as drained and pale as H-neun.

 

 X-eins does appreciate the peace though, even if it is caused by that creature feeding on them. But his fingers twist loosely through H-neun’s soft hair, completely mesmerised by H-neun’s hauntingly beautiful green eyes. The colour reminds him of the the Magius’ light. And the light of the Valvraves. They would never taint that though. Never the colour of magic, only ever H-neun’s eyes.

 “What?” H-neun laughs softly. X-eins blinks. “You’re staring.”

 “Am I?” X-eins says. He frowns and glances away. “Sorry. I was just thinking.”

 “Hmm? What about?” H-neun’s voice is so soft and warm. Tired and weak, but still sunny and light. “X? Come on, what are you thinking about?”

 “Nothing much,” he replies. He frowns, tracing his fingers down H-neun’s arm. “He didn’t hurt you, did he?”

 “Just pulled me around a bit,” H-neun replies. “And I’m not really into biting.”

 “Why are you always like this?” X-eins sighs.

 “Part of my charm.”

 “So it is.”

 H-neun laughs and X-eins decides not to look at his face. He’s been getting far too distracted looking at his face recently. Instead, he focuses on his fingers moving over H-neun’s shoulder lightly.

 “He must really have done a number on us if you’re too tired to even argue.”

 “Must have.”

 

 H-neun’s laughter is as soft as ever. It makes X-eins’ chest warm again. He smiles, tracing H-neun’s bicep with a feather light touch. Suddenly, all the time H-neun spent lifting weights seems far less like time wasted than it used to. All of a sudden, X-eins is far more appreciative of H-neun’s toplessness and bare arms. The soft curve of firm muscles is something X-eins hadn’t realised was so attractive before.

 “X?”

 “I am sorry,” X-eins says quietly, “for what I said about you and Kriemhild earlier.”

 “Ah, that again,” H-neun says softly. He laughs softly and pats X-eins’ side lightly. “Don’t worry about it. Like you said, we both got kinda heated, didn’t we? And it’s really not the first time we’ve argued while under pressure like this.”

 “No,” he says, shaking his head. “You were right. I do get jealous.”

 H-neun laughs a little, and X-eins blinks helplessly as H-neun’s fingers close around his chin, tipping his head up to meet his gaze. He does get jealous. H-neun going out on dates and flirting is all very well. But when he’s actually _dating_ a girl, X-eins does get jealous. He’s used to H-neun spending his free time with him, leaning over his shoulder and talking while he’s trying to read, asking his opinion, dragging him on double dates and generally paying attention to him. When H-neun has a _girlfriend_ suddenly X-eins is second best. He has to fight to get H-neun’s attention and can rarely get him alone to chat and hangout.

 “You’re always my favourite person,” H-neun murmurs.

 “Hano, I-”

 “You need to relax more, X.”

 H-neun grins like an idiot, leaning his forehead against X-eins’. Why is he like this? Why does everything have to be a joke all the time? X-eins feels like everything he does screams how much he’s attracted to H-neun. He’s really not sure how it’s taken him this long to realise what he wants. He has no idea how H-neun, who is far better versed in this sort of thing, can’t see it. That dream must have been his. He’s the one with the crush on H-neun, no matter how H-neun teases. And he is the one who has thought Cain quite attractive in the past. It might have been a shared dream, but it was obviously his influence, wasn’t it?

 “You don’t make it easy for me, Hano,” X-eins sighs, closing his eyes.

 “Huh? Do I not?” H-neun replies. X-eins smiles a little. Of course not. How can he relax around him? Especially now. “X? You can’t just spring that on me. Oi, X? X-eins? Are you ignoring me?”

 “If only that were possible.”

 

 X-eins opens his eyes a little. H-neun is pouting. _Oh_. X-ein’s swallows thickly and glances away. That look is… unbelievable. It sparks that heat in the pit of his stomach. Something so vulnerable and playful at the same time. Again, X-eins is hit by the near overwhelming urge to capture H-neun’s mouth with his own.

 “What’s up with you, X?” H-neun laughs. “You’ve been flighty all day.”

 “Nothing,” X-eins says, pulling himself upright.

 Moving is a lot of effort. His body is so sore and tired. Like he’s done days of work without rest or food. Even so, he forces himself up so he can at least make his night clothes a little more presentable.

 “Just tired,” X-eins murmurs. “And getting cold. Come back under the covers.”

 “You mean move?” H-neun says quietly.

 “Yes, move. Come on.”

 H-neun sighs and crawls along the bed, throwing the covers aside and all but collapsing into the sheets. X-eins sighs, moving slowly over to join him. He pushes H-neun aside and he can lay next to him before pulling the covers over them. H-neun is as warm as ever. It’s always a pleasure to cuddle close and share his warmth.

 “So,” H-neun says, poking X-eins’ arm. “You and Cain?”

 X-eins’ face goes red. “ _What?_ ”

 “Ahh, I knew it!” _Knew what?!_ There’s nothing to know! “You’re so obvious, X. I can read you like a book.”

 “Stop it,” X-eins says firmly, glaring down at H-neun. “There’s nothing to know and, even if there was, I’m not _obvious_.”

 If he was, H-neun would know what X-eins has been thinking about him and that would be humiliating beyond words. H-neun’s smirk is not reassuring. The last things he needs is H-neun suddenly picking up his uncanny ability to read X-eins’ mind again. Not that he even needs it after that dream. Isn’t that a neon sign declaring that X-eins considers bother H-neun and Cain attractive?

 “Really? So you didn’t have a super obvious crush on Cain?” H-neun teases. X-eins shoots him a sidewards glare. “No need to hide it from me, X. I bet you’ve wanted to be pushed to the bed beneath Cain for _ages_ , right? I bet it keeps you up at night thinking about how you wanted him to take advantage of his position of power.”

 “Are you sure you’re not talking about you and Kriemhild?” X-eins says, rolling over and putting his back to H-neun. “I’m not having this discussion.”

 “That sounds like a yes, X. You can’t hide anything from me, you know.”

 H-neun’s fingers slide up his spine and X-eins’ gasps. A violent shiver shoots through him and his back arches, stars dancing in front of his eyes.

 “ _Hano!_ ”

 H-neun laughs like the evil manipulator he is and X-eins turns to glare only to find his friend pressed against his back, arms wrapped loosely around his middle and hot breath against the back of his neck. His eyes fall shut and he tries to breathe deeply, trying to keep his heart rate steady despite how _good_ it is to feel H-neun’s body flush against his back.

 “God, X,” H-neun purrs into his shoulder. “That was sexy. Who knew I could make you call my name like that?”

 “Stop that,” X-eins snaps, elbowing him lightly.

 “Don’t worry,” he laughs softly. “Just for that, I’ll let this thing about Cain drop for now. We’ll get back to it another time.”

 X-eins smiles and nods slightly. He’s glad for small mercies. He sighs and rolls over once more, gazing back at H-neun.

 “Do you think it was really him?” X-eins says quietly. “Do you think any of that was real? Or just that thing playing with us? Trying to make us do what it wants? Was it really Cain?”

 H-neun sighs and closes his eyes. “I want to believe he is. I want to believe that was really him. But… It’s impossible to tell…”

 

 H-neun shifts suddenly and X-eins frowns as his hand vanishes from his grip. He gets up from the bed and X-eins sits up, watching with an odd sense of helplessness as H-neun walks away and shuts the bathroom door behind him. Why does it feel like there’s something wrong? X-eins forces himself up, his body aching and screaming for him to just lie down and rest, but he can’t shake the feeling H-neun needs him right now.

 “Is everything alright, Hano?” X-eins calls softly, hands pressed lightly to the door.

 “Yeah,” H-neun laughs weakly. X-eins frowns as he sniffles. “Of course. You’re so needy, X. Can’t even go to the bathroom without you chasing after me.”

 “H-neun…” He frowns a little, something in his chest aching. “Are you crying?”

 “No!”

 X-eins frowns. “It’s ok if you are, you know? You’ve seen me cry.”

 “Of course I have,” H-neun snaps. “You’re a crybaby.”

 “Hano…” He sighs and closes his eyes. How can he convince H-neun it’s ok to lean on him too? H-neun does so much for him, why won’t he let X-eins return the gesture? “You know, you don’t have to be strong all the time, Hano. It’s ok. I could never think any less of you just because-”

 “I said I’m fine. Why won’t you just leave it alone?”

 “Because you’re obviously not fine.” X-eins sigh heavily, shoulders dropping. Why is he always failing H-neun like this? Why is he the always the one relying on H-neun and can’t do a thing in return?! He has to do _something._ “Alright, look, it’s fine. You’re not crying and you just need the bathroom, right? So… I’m going to take off my glasses, so I couldn’t see even if you were crying, and go to bed. And then you can finish up and come back to bed and if you wanted you could  hide under the covers, like you used to let me do when I was crying… even though you’re not…”

 He steps away from the door, slowly taking off his glasses and setting them on the chest of drawers by the bathroom door. In plain sight for H-neun when he comes out. So H-neun knows he’s being honest. And then all he can do is return to bed and wait.

 

 “You promise you’ve got your glasses off,” H-neun says finally.

 “I promise,” X-eins replies, closing his eyes as he lays back in the pillows. “I’m completely blind. No chance of seeing your handsome face.”

 “I look a mess,” he says and X-eins hears the door opening. “I wouldn’t want you seeing me looking like this.”

 “I’ve seen you at your worst, Hano,” he murmurs. “You’re always the most handsome man in the world as far as I’m concerned.”

 “Those are the sort of lines you should be using on girls,” H-neun laughs weakly. The bed dips and X-eins forces himself not to react. H-neun needs privacy, right now. “Not wasting on me.”

 “We just shared a dream where I confessed to loving you,” X-eins murmurs. The covers move and H-neun slips in next to him, laying his head gently on X-eins’ chest. X-eins smiles a little, pulling the covers up gently so H-neun is hidden completely before he opens his eyes again. “I think it’s fine for me to be using terrible chat up lines on you.”

 He sighs softly, laying his hands on the lump that he assumes is H-neun’s head under the covers. The blankets are shaking slightly and there’s a wet patch forming on his top, but he says nothing and lets H-neun get out what he has to. His sweet H-neun needs to let things out sometimes too.

 “What’s wrong, Hano?” X-eins murmurs. “Please. Just let me take some of the burden sometimes. Share with me. You don’t have to protect me from everything all the time. Let me help you too.”

 “I just… I was thinking about Cain and everything that’s happened…” H-neun sighs and X-eins’ hand slides down to rub his back gently through the covers. “I realised I can’t actually remember my parents.”

 “Oh…”

 “I don’t remember anything before I arrived at my grandpa’s actually.”

 X-eins frowns. Now he thinks about it, he can’t remember anything before the day that boy arrived. He tilts his head a little, trying to reach for something further, but it’s all blank. As if his life truly began the day he’d watched out his bedroom window as the sulky brown haired boy jump from his grandfather’s car down the street. A distraction from his book. Another visit, he’d assumed, but there were no parents this time. The old man had gone to fetch him. He doesn’t remember what they looked like either. He doesn’t remember a thing before that day. Does that matter though? Officially, the never existed before Karlstein. And unofficially, X-eins thinks it might be right that his life truly didn’t start until the day that boy arrived in it.

 “You were young,” X-eins says, rather than voicing those thoughts. “We both were. Just children. It’s not unusual not to remember one’s childhood clearly.” H-neun nods a little against his chest. “I remember everything you told me about them, though. I know it’s the same… But you won’t need that sort of thing. You had your grandfather and Cain and…”

 “And you?” H-neun says.

 “Yes. Me.” H-neun nods a little, burying his face in X-eins’ chest. “Don’t wipe your nose on my shirt.”

 “I’m not,” H-neun laughs weakly. X-eins is pretty sure he definitely is. “Sorry about this. I just… got a bit overwhelmed.”

 “Don’t worry about it,” X-eins replies. “I want you to be able to rely on me too.” H-neun nods a little. “You always protect me. You always support me. I want to do the same, even if it is a rarity that you need it.”

 He never sees H-neun cry. He never sees him hurting. He’s missed so much because H-neun stands so proudly. He never lets X-eins see his pain. X-eins always likes to think H-neun is the emotional one, that he’s the smart, stable one. But it’s H-neun who always keeps his pain inside. H-neun has always been stronger than him.

_Stronger…_

 

 X-eins pulls down the covers, gazing down at H-neun’s blurred shape.

 “Hey, hey!” H-neun cries, yanking the covers back up. “You said you wouldn’t look.”

 “I can’t see you, Hano,” X-eins argues.

 “I don’t care, you’re looking.”

 “Hano-”

 “You said!”

 Ok, apparently they’re five again. He sighs and relents, petting H-neun’s head gently through the covers. _Idiot, H-neun_. No matter what an idiot he is, he’s his H-neun though. Always his H-neun. Still, apparently H-neun isn’t ready to come out yet, so X-eins will have to do this a different way.

 “So,” he says quietly. “Say there was something more to that dream-”

 “Weren’t you just saying there wasn’t?” H-neun says.

 “But if there _was_ ,” X-eins insists. “Other than that one time you made out with L-elf, would I be the first man you’ve been with?”

 “We all agreed we would never ever, _ever_ talk about that again. That _never_ happened.”

 “It definitely happened.” He hums and H-neun growls. “I remember watching it happen from the cafe across the road.”

 “It wasn’t in the report, it never happened.”

 It wasn’t in the final report because they all decided it was best not to admit their young team on one of their first missions without direct supervision had come so close to failure. It had nothing to do with H-neun not wanting to admit on record he’d kissed L-elf.

 “You traumatised Q-vier.”

 “Oh yeah, he can walk through a bloody battlefield just fine, but L-elf plants one on me and he’s traumatised,” H-neun huffs. At least he sounds like he’s smiling a little now. “Think about poor me. _I_ was traumatised.”

 “He was eleven.”

 “I got jumped by a fourteen year old L-elf.”

 X-eins smiles a little. H-neun is only exaggerating a little really. Their mission had gone slightly awry and L-elf had been forced to run with their spoils. With H-neun on lookout in a nearby alleyway, he’d been the perfect place for L-elf to hide. Of course, just running wasn’t enough. He’d grabbed H-neun and pulled him close. Poor H-neun had been taken completely by surprise but a few moments, and what looked suspiciously like a kick to the shin, later he got the idea and L-elf was hidden in a faux-passionate embrace, blocking L-elf’s face from easy view. And their target hadn’t felt like interrupting a pair of teens in a heated kiss on the off chance they might be elite agents.

 Lucky really.

 Although, X-eins didn’t entire disagree with Q-vier’s rather scandalised reaction. It had been rather amusing to hear A-drei’s equally scandalised, although X-eins suspected, and still does, for different reasons than Q-vier. H-neun had sprung away looking absolutely disgusted the moment L-elf had released him. They had all agreed it was best not to add that part of the mission in their final mission report and that they would never talk about it. A necessary evil for the sake of the mission and nothing more.

 “You did what you had to for the mission,” X-eins murmurs.

 

 H-neun sighs, folding his arms and resting on X-eins’ chest under the covers. “No.”

 “No, what?” X-eins says with a frown.

 “No, you wouldn’t be the first guy I’ve been with if there _was_ anything to that dream,” H-neun says.

 “O-oh.”

 X-eins frowns and tilts his head. He thought H-neun liked women. He frowns and gazes up at the ceiling, not that he can make it out. He’s not sure he likes the idea that H-neun may have been with other men. Not least of all because he didn’t know about it. He’s H-neun’s best friend. Shouldn’t he know about this sort of thing? Shouldn’t he at least know that H-neun liked men as well as women? Does he even like women? Or is that just a front to hide his real preferences?

 H-neun continues to be an absolute mystery.

 “Your pulse has sped up,” H-neun murmurs. “You’re surprised? Now you know you think I’m gonna molest you in your sleep or something?”

 “Of course not,” X-eins scolds. “I know you better than that. You’re an attention seeker and seem to enjoy me telling you off. If you were going to molest me, you’d do it while I was awake.”

 Besides, H-neun has known X-eins likes men for a long time. He’s never treated him any differently. H-neun had smiled when X-eins had nervously told him he was involved with another male student, said it was good to see him smiling like that. He was pleased for him. And very obviously not surprised in the slightest. Which makes H-neun’s reluctance to tell X-eins the same all the more confusing.

 “True, true,” H-neun laughs and nods against his chest. After a moment he sighs. “You wanna know, don’t you?”

 “If… it’s not too personal…” He sighs and closes his eyes with a slight frown. “There’s a reason you’ve never told me… before…right?”

 “You’re no the type who’s into gossip and stuff,” H-neun says.

 “It’s you,” X-eins replies. “That’s different.”

 “Is it?”

 “Why wouldn’t it be? It’s not… gossip. It’s not rumour or scandal, it’s just… it’s you...”

 “Your heart’s racing,” H-neun whispers, fingers brushing over X-eins’ chest.

 That’s because X-eins is once again being struck by how little he really knows about H-neun. His best friend, who he thought he shared everything he could with, kept so many secrets. Even something as inconsequential as his sexuality. Why? Why keep something like that from him? Because he didn’t trust him? Because he was ashamed? Thought X-eins would judge him? He doesn’t understand at all.

 

 “X, breathe,” H-neun says. “X-”

 He goes to get up but X-eins pushes his down. For a few moments, he can support H-neun. He can’t think about these things. He can’t focus on himself. If he wants H-neun to trust him with his secrets and talk to him, he has to stop being such a burden. He has to stop thinking about himself and let H-neun lean on him.

 X-eins firmly ignores the voice in the back of his mind pointing out that even his desire to help H-neun is a result of his own selfish need. He doesn’t need those doubts.

 “Stay,” he says, taking a slowly breath. “Let me support you, for a little while.” He sighs, reaching a hand under the covers so he can play absently with H-neun’s hair. “Even after all this time, Hano, you’re still such a mystery to me.”

 “Sorry,” H-neun mutters, laying on his chest once more.

 “It’s nothing to be sorry about,” X-eins says softly. He sighs, twisting H-neun’s hair loosely around his fingers. “I know that keeping secrets must be as hard for you as it is for me. I’m sure you had your reasons for not telling me these things.”

 “It’s not like that, X,” he says. “I just… I didn’t want you to…”

 He lets out a frustrated huff and X-eins plays with his hair gently to try and reassure him. Whatever it is, it’s alright. X-eins could never judge H-neun for his choices really. No matter frustrated he was with him, he loves him. H-neun is his entire world. He doesn’t care why H-neun’s kept so many secrets, why he can’t tell him, he could forgive H-neun anything even if he did care. He’ll just have to be someone H-neun can rely on from here.

 “It wasn’t like I was dating guys or anything.”

 “I’m not sure I understand,” X-eins murmurs. And he really wishes he did. “You always seemed mad about women. Hano-”

 “I don’t really get it so much either.” Is that why H-neun never told him? Because it wasn’t clear to him either? “It was just… there were a few men that I… uh, I… fooled around with…”

 “Fooled around with? Like-”

 “I never slept with any of them,” H-neun says, rather quickly, shaking his head under the covers. Defensive, X-eins thinks. As if X-eins thinking he was in bed with other men was an awful thought. “I never had sex with any of them. Not- not really. We just… kissed and… touched…”

 Kissed and touched. H-neun had kissed and touched other men. X-eins frowns a little. Suddenly his thoughts about H-neun not taking any interest in him because he isn’t a woman seem very misplaced. But then, he said he didn’t date them. He isn’t sure he wants that with H-neun. If he and H-neun have something… he thinks he wants to date H-neun if anything. But, if the dream was H-neun’s, then H-neun wanted him to love him too?

 It’s all so confusing. X-eins doesn’t know what to think anymore.

 

 “X?”

 “Nothing,” X-eins says. He laughs softly, trying to get himself together and focused. Trying not to make a big deal out of this. “Anyone I know? Obviously, I know everyone act the academy but… anyone I actually know?” H-neun’s silence is an answer loud and clear. “Who?”

 “No one, no one,” H-neun laughs.

 Someone close then. The team? X-eins frowns. Not L-elf, obviously. Not Q-vier. And not him. So…

 “ _A-drei?!_ ”

 H-neun shifts uncomfortably. “Don’t… say it like that…”

 “You and A-drei?” X-eins says. He frowns, going to pull off the sheets but apparently H-neun is already ahead of him, pulling down the covers firmly over his head. “H-neun, you and A-drei-”

 “It’s not like that!” He huffs and X-eins folds his arms, purposely on top of H-neun’s head. “It was just… You remember that time me and A-drei got to go to that political ball in ARUS territory last year?”

 “Yes,” X-eins replies. “The rest of us got stuck in some frozen middle of nowhere war zone. So the two of you hooked up because we left you alone for five seconds?”

 It wasn’t fun. They weren’t going to argue with orders but the three of them had been stuck in a frozen wasteland with little cover, few actual targets and a lot of snow. Quite frankly it had been an exercise in futility, while H-neun and A-drei got to attend a political ball. The arguments had been rather sound, he supposes. H-neun was by far the most charming. X-eins was perfectly polite, but has been told he can be too stiff and Q-vier is Q-vier. None of them are really sure why H-neun was chosen rather than L-elf though. L-elf could put on the charm when demanded. Still, none of them argued. Perhaps they just thought L-elf was better off on the more active mission. X-eins had been rather jealous. He does enjoy politics. It’s all rather fascinating. And it was one of the few times Dorssia acknowledged A-drei as a prince. Showing off how well they were actually treating their former royalty, with compassion and care. Who better than their young, charming, and fully indoctrinated, A-drei? X-eins would have loved to have been there.

 But that A-drei had been involved with H-neun while they were there is utterly galling.

 “For the sake of the mission?” X-eins says, impressed by how level his voice is.

 “Sort of?” H-neun replies.

 “Yes or no?”

 “Both.”

 X-eins purses his lips. “Explain. And don’t give me that _you don’t kiss and tell_ rubbish.”

 “Well, what with us being Dorssian, we were already being looked at as suspicious,” H-neun says after a moment. “So when me and A-drei slipped away into a bathroom to get in contact with command, we were followed. And, credit to A-drei, he sorta thought fast and when we were asked when we were doing, he sorta put his arms around me and leant against me and…” He laughs a little and X-eins glares at nothing. “He sneered at this agent like a proper royal, looked down his nose at him and everything, and asked what he thought royals did with their incredibly handsome bodyguards in private bathrooms. You should have seen the guy’s face.”

 “A-drei is capable of being incredibly scathing when he wishes,” X-eins says. “Still, I’m not sure how any of this adds up to you and him being together?”

 “I don’t think he believed us,” he continues. “So, A-drei shoved me against the wall and kissed me.” X-eins frowns and H-neun takes his hand gently gently the covers. X-eins grips his hand in return. He doesn’t like it at all. “He laughed, glared over at the guy, said if he wanted to watch it was fine with him, as long as he wasn’t a distraction. Didn’t have much choice but to make it believable. The guy left us alone. After it became kinda obvious we were either really into each other or very willing to go with it. A-drei pulled me into the actual stall just in case and we managed to get hold of home.”

 “That’s it?”

 “Haven’t you ever done dumb things for a cover? It wasn’t a big deal.”

 

 X-eins frowns, twisting his fingers deeper into H-neun’s hair gently, squeezing his hand tightly with the other. Not a big deal? Why does it feel like a big deal? Probably because he’s mad about H-neun. Because he thinks H-neun might feel the same. Romance is such a pain.

 “You know, I never asked you all these questions when you told me.”

 “You already knew,” X-eins replies. “I don’t know how, but you did.”

 “Who do you think told your little crush to go for it and that you wouldn’t mind as long as he was discreet?” he says. X-eins scowls. H-neun set him up. Looking after him again. “It’s not a big deal, X.”

 “Hano…” He frowns, slowly thinking of wording the next question. He wants to ask but, isn’t that rather selfish? Even so, he supposes he has to ask. He won’t be satisfied until he knows. “Do you find me attractive?”

 H-neun is silent for a long moment before nodding a little. “And you?”

 “Me?”

 “What do you think about me?”

 “Oh.” He frowns. Well, it H-neun is going to admit his feelings so openly, what else can he do but return the openness? He takes a deep breath and H-neun squeezes his hand as X-eins plays with his hair. “Y-yes. You’re incredibly attractive.”

 “Ah, that’s so stiff, X-eins.”

 X-eins frowns. Perhaps. H-neun always says that though. He sighs and pulls down the covers, this time not allowing H-neun to argue. He’s right. He does look rather a mess. But that’s ok. He smiles and cups H-neun’s cheeks gently, lifting his head drawing him up to meet his gaze. After a moment, X-eins sighs and H-neun takes his weight once more, resting their foreheads together.

 

 “Do you want to do something?” H-neun says at last.

 “Something?” X-eins repeats.

 “Whatever feels right,” he replies. “You know… kissing? Maybe more? See how it goes?”

 X-eins gazes up at H-neun silently for a moment. Kiss H-neun? Maybe more? The idea is… attractive. H-neun leans in a little but X-eins turns away. It takes all the strength he has, but he manages, glaring silently at the wall.

 H-neun sighs. “I guess not.”

 He leans on X-ein’s resting with his head against his shoulder and X-eins sighs, petting his hair gently. He doesn’t want to hook up. He wants H-neun to care about him. He wants to love him. The entire situation is driving him to despair. He sighs. He really is such a mess when it comes to H-neun. Why is it so hard to just be normal? To just figure himself out and get to grip?

 “Maybe in a situation less stressed,” X-eins murmurs. After everything that's happened, how can he even trust this is really what H-neun wants? “When we’re calmer. More clear headed.”

 “I don’t need to be more clear headed, X,” H-neun whispers back. “I have wanted you for so long. I don’t need anymore time.”

 X-eins bites his lip hard, taking a deep breath. “I’m the morning, H-neun. We’ll deal with this all in the morning.”

 “Alright,” H-neun sighs. “In the morning.”

 There’s a heavy silence and H-neun shifts off of him. He wraps X-eins up in his arms, slides his fingers slowly between X-eins’ once more and pressing a kiss to his shoulder blade that makes X-eins’ heart skip a beat. If H-neun wanted more from him than just the physical… if H-neun wanted a relationship with him… But then, is it so bad to just extend their friendship like this? Just another aspect of their friendship? The bond between them remains as strong as ever, with an intimate physical relationship as nothing more than another blurred border. It’s hardly the first line their friendship has crossed. And without romance, they wouldn’t risk their friendship if things went wrong.

 There’s no way X-eins is getting any sleep tonight.


	9. Early Morning

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Bumped up to M thanks for this chapter, even though it's all terrible vague. Like really really vague and nondescript.

 “Cain obviously wants us to stay the day,” X-eins says quietly. “We should consider leaving today.”

 “X,” H-neun mumbles into his back. X-eins shivers. “It’s five thirty. Don’t talk strategy now.”

 “But-”

 “X. We are free from the academy. Free from rules. Free from late.” He sighs, hot breath tickling his skin through his top, sending terrible sparks through X-eins. He can’t even get any space, H-neun is holding him as securely as he had been the night before. “Free from being up to start our days at six a.m. or earlier, so, _please,_ let’s have a lie in.”

 X-eins sighs, glances back at H-neun and gives up. _Fine._ H-neun can have his lie in. “Let me go then so I can at least do something productive.”

 “Mmm, no,” H-neun replies. X-eins frowns, opening one eye. “I like cuddling up with you. You need a lie in too.”

 “Hano,” he sighs.

 Why did he have to have these feelings for H-neun all of a sudden? Now he’s aware of these desires, he can’t escape them. H-neun isn’t exactly helping. For all H-neun says he can read him like a book, he’s obviously painfully unaware of X-eins’ feelings for him if he’s acting like this. Either that or he’s just being a bully and teasing X-eins with something he can never have. He’d like to think H-neun is a better man than that.

 H-neun hums against his back and X-eins groans into the pillow. Having H-neun at his back like this is ridiculously distracting. How is he supposed to do anything like this, let alone sleep? Even if they’ve shared beds _a lot_ , H-neun has never been his insistently close. His hand in X-eins’ their fingers entwined, his palm pressed to the flat X-eins’ stomach, his body pressed to X-eins’ back. It’s impossible to bare. And he is completely trapped. H-neun has always been stronger than him. H-neun won’t let him do anything but lie there with him.

 But then, with the things H-neun had said last night… Perhaps H-neun isn’t teasing and is aware of what X-eins wants. Or is just aware of what he wants himself and hasn’t figured out X-eins wants something more as well. Romance continues to be unbearably complicated.

 

 “You’re so stiff, X,” H-neun whispers into his shoulder. “ _Relax_.”

 “Easy for you to say,” X-eins replies. “Being with you like this makes it hard.”

 He feels H-neun grin against his back and rolls his eyes. He’d walked into that one. “I can help with that too if you want.”

 “You are impossible,” he sighs.

 “Of course,” he laughs. X-eins’ narrows his eyes a little as H-neun’s hand slips under his shirt, palm pressing close against his stomach. “There’s only one me. Any imitation is impossible.”

 “I don’t think I could stand a second H-neun,” X-eins sighs. “One of you is plenty.”

 “I’m glad you find me so satisfying,” H-neun says. H-neun’s fingers slip lower over X-eins’ skin and another shiver runs through him. What’s he doing now? “I’ll do my best to live up to those expectations.”

 “You’ve never let me down so far,” he replies, doing his best to ignore H-neun pushing his luck.

 “I’ll endeavor to continue to please you then.” He squeezes X-eins’ hand in his as his fingers tease X-eins’ waistband lightly. “Earning praise from you is what I live for, after all.”

 “I thought it was just to avoid lectures,” he murmurs.

 “Ah well.” H-neun laughs warmly into X-eins’ shoulder and it’s all he can do to bury his face in the pillows. H-neun really is trying to drive him insane, isn’t he? “You’re kinda hot when you’re in lecture mode. Like a sexy teacher.”

 “That’s a little too much about your fantasies involving Kriemhild, Hano,” X-eins breathes.

 This is going far beyond teasing and banter. Their relationship has always blurred the boundaries a lot of people would consider strict. X-eins has never been afraid to give as good as he gets from H-neun, but this really is pushing it.  X-eins really isn’t sure he wants to take this step with their friendship, not without the promise of something more than friendship with it, but he can’t bring himself to stop H-neun firmly either.

 “Now you mention it,” H-neun says with a thoughtful hum. “What about you and Cain? Hot for that particular teacher?”

 “You’re really gonna ask me about another man while you’re obviously trying to get in my pants?”

 “You’re starting to sound like you want me in your pants, X. You’re not stopping me.”

 “Then don’t stop.”

 

 H-neun breaths heavily against his shoulder blade and X-eins shivers, eyes falling shut. There’s a moment of tense silence. X-eins isn’t sure if H-neun is teasing ad pushing his luck or really wants to keep going. After everything he said last night, perhaps he is comfortable touching X-eins not just because he has no sense of personal space. And X-eins, in one moment of conversation, has decided that if H-neun wants to _fool around_ with him he doesn’t mind extending their friendship to something more physical. He’s willing to give it a try, at least.

 After a long moment, H-neun kisses the back of his neck and X-eins closes his eyes, trying to breath deeply. Trying to holding himself together whichever way H-neun decided to move with this.

 And then H-neun’s hand slips lower, down the flat of his stomach and below his waistband. X-eins gasps, gripping H-neun’s hand tightly, eyes fluttering shut. H-neun’s breath is heavy against his shoulder and his body hot against his back. X-eins is forced to tilt his head into the pillows, biting hard to muffle any embarrassing noises. His nails dig into the back of H-neun’s hand, their fingers desperately entwined. He’s coming completely undone under H-neun’s simple touch. Something that sets his blood alight as nothing else has before. As if H-neun really does know how to satisfy his every desire like no one else ever could.

 

 They lie together in near silence, both struggling to catch their breath in the aftermath. X-eins pushes his weight back against H-neun, heart fluttering as H-neun presses closers, peppering his neck and shoulder with light kisses. If this is what fooling around with H-neun is like, maybe it’s not so bad. And as the high wears off, X-eins is more exhausted than ever. All thoughts of moving or planning for their next steps have been pushed from his mind completely. H-neuns lie in sounds like a wonderful idea. X-eins’ free hand slides slowly down H-neun’s arm, fingers brushing his wrist lightly.

 “X,” H-neun breathes.

 “Well,” X-eins whispers, slowly getting his wits about him once more. He smiles tiredly, reluctantly removing H-neun’s hands. “That was certainly a pleasant way to start the day.”

 H-neun laughs tiredly. “Absolutely perfect.”

 X-eins sits up slowly. He’s still sore all over. He’s still drained beyond belief. He groans and H-neun squeezes his hand gently. H-neun is gazing up at him silently in that ohso soft, vulnerable way again. As if H-neun really is as unsure as X-eins. As if he’s not sure what that meant either. But _so_ attractive. X-eins could almost lean down and kiss him here and now, but he doesn’t. He doesn’t want to kiss H-neun unless there’s something more to it. He won’t kiss someone he’s not going to be in a relationship with.  

 X-eins smiles a little so H-neun doesn’t worry. “I’m going to have a shower.”

 “Yeah,” he says quietly. He goes to release X-eins’ hand but X-eins shakes his head, squeezing gently. “X?”

 “Come on. We’ve showered together before. We’re safer together.”

 “You think we’re unsafe?” H-neun says, letting X-eins pull him up from the bed.

 “I’d just feel better if we’re together,” X-eins replies. “Just in case.”

 H-neun nods and lets X-eins guide him into the bathroom. It’s nice to see H-neun picking up the hint quickly. He does have a terrible habit of ignoring X-eins’ orders when he gets excited. His liking for melee combat is all too much proof of that, no matter what X-eins tried to tell him otherwise. It seems H-neun is feeling more willing to follow orders after a little morning exercise.

 

 X-eins glances back as he’s running the water to find H-neun is stripping off. He can’t help the small smile at the sight, following H-neun’s lead and undressing himself. The promise of friendship is the most sacred bond they have. A bond H-neun has never forsaken. Even to this extent. X-eins can’t imagine anything more important and he could never let any kind of potential romance ruin that. He could never forgive himself if he lost H-neun’s friendship. He’s relying on it more than ever now he’s lost Cain to look up to. So perhaps they can get a little physical, if it keep H-neun happy and their bond strong. X-eins can’t say it was a disaster, after all.

 “You know you’re the most important thing in the world to me, right Hano?” X-eins says quietly.

 X-eins takes advantage of the obvious distraction the question causes and catches H-neun’s hand. He pulls him into the shower with him and under the water without a moment of resistance. He’s glad. H-neun smiles, stepping closer under the shower, his hair drooping around his face. X-eins laughs, running a hand through his own hair to get it back off his own face.

 “You too, X.”

 X-eins pauses a moment before smiling and nodding. That’s that then.

 They’ve done far more than this before. Sharing beds and showers, it’s nothing. But it feels infinitely more intimate than before. As if X-eins really is seeing H-neun in a new light. His gaze follows the water dripping over the gentle curves of H-neun’s muscles. He finds himself appreciating H-neun’s pleasingly broad chest and square jaw. And H-neun is none too discreet about the fact that he’s looking over X-eins’ body in return.

 H-neun’s ID tag around his neck catching X-eins’ gaze. His fingers brush it gently, watching the metal glint in the light as water dances off it. Tags they’ve never truly been parted from. The only thing that has given them any kind of identity for so long. H-neun and X-eins Karlstein. Did they even know how to be anything else?

 His head is tilted upwards once more by H-neun’s gently fingers under his chin. H-neun is smiling, as always. Like the world is right again. Like everything’s ok and they’re still back at the academy, sharing a shower because they were late, all the cubicles were taken and H-neun thought it was a good idea. X-eins heard more than a few rumours about them after those sorts of days. That they were together. That H-neun got this far because of his looks. That X-eins had only managed because H-neun protected him in return for favours. That Cain adored them both because of some scandalous relationship and it was him who greased the wheels for them.

 X-eins always hated those rumours. Any implication they achieved their status through anything but their own merit. He wouldn’t have people talk that way about H-neun.

 X-eins steps closer, pressing himself flush against H-neun’s body. H-neun’s hands slide slowly over his sides and X-eins lays his head slowly on his shoulder. This feels a whole new level of closeness, but X-eins doesn’t mind. After what they’ve just done, a little bit of closeness isn’t much to worry about. And H-neun is so soft and warm. X-ens wants to stay close to him forever.

 “Are you going to complain about having the wrong shampoo like you always do when we’re in the field?”

 “Not at all,” H-neun laughs, taking a step back and picking up a bottle X-eins hadn’t noticed on the side. “I came prepared.”

 “You brought your shampoo?” X-eins replies.

 “There are important things in life, X,” he says. “Like you and my hair and beautiful women.”

 “I could go off you.”

 H-neun laughs and X-eins shivers as cold gel is suddenly deposited on his head without warning. His fingers move slowly through X-eins’ hair, lathering up the shampoo, massaging his scalp. There’s something so intimate about being here in peace and quiet with H-neun. It’s so strange that something once so normal is now being seen in an entirely new light. They don’t have many day to day luxuries at the academy, or on the ships, but H-neun does always insist on his shampoo where he can. There’s the familiar smell of lemon and lime. Zesty and bright. The smell that always reminds him of H-neun. How very H-neun. Bright yellows and greens.

 “I’m going to smell like you now,” X-eins says quietly.

 “And your hair will look amazing,” H-neun replies.

 “There’s something wrong with my hair normally?” he says.

 H-neun laughs, getting to his own hair. X-eins sighs, moving under the water again. There’s nothing wrong with his hair. It’s more practical than A-drei’s. H-neun’s is too high maintenance anyway. Even if it is soft and downy and lovely to run his fingers through.

 

 “I guess we should get back in contact with Kriemhild while she’s not busy,” X-eins says as they’re sitting on the bed. H-neun nods, running a comb through X-eins’ hair. “You think she’ll be able to help us when Cain’s watching over us like this?”

 “I think Cain wants us to meet up with L-elf and Module 77,” H-neun replies. “And the royalists are the most likely way to get there. He’ll open up the path he wants us to take. And given he’s been able to outsmart L-elf, doesn’t it make sense we follow the path he’s opening up for us?”

 “You really think following him is the best plan?”

 “I don’t think we have much other choice. You know what they taught us; go along with your opponent’s plan until they let their guard down and offer you an opening to put the knife in.”

 “So we go with Cain’s plan until we see an opening.” H-neun nods, slipping X-eins’ glasses onto his nose. “What about if we bump into A-drei and Q-vier again?”

 They might technically be on a mission from Cain, but blacklist means only one, maybe two people above Cain will know about it. As far as the majority of Dorssia is concerned, they traitors and will be until their mission is complete and their names cleared. A-drei might believe in them, but he won’t know the truth and X-eins isn’t entirely sure Q-vier would care for an explanation anyway.

 “Non-lethal force,” H-neun says. “We can’t rely on A-drei’s help and we can’t risk his life getting him to let us go. We can’t let him look like he let us go. I don’t want him to get hurt because we’ve been clumsy.”

 X-eins nods, ignoring the jealous voice in the back of his mind saying that’s because A-drei and H-neun have been intimate. “They can put our leaving them alive down to sentimentality. They’re our friends, even if we are traitors. Knock them out, make it obvious they didn’t let us go.”

 “Like Q-vier would.”

 Their decision is made then. They really are definitely going for it. They’re going to go through with it as far as they can.

 

 H-neun picks up one of his earrings and X-eins’ frowns a little. Now he thinks about it, H-neun had taken them out at the first tavern too, saying something about making sure they were properly dried out. He picks up the blue one, looking over it slowly.

 “Hano,” X-eins says with a slight frown. H-neun glances with a frown, obviously focused on fixing the red earring in. “These match our hair.”

 “Do they?” H-neun says with a thoughtful hum. “I never noticed.”

 “Why would you need to dry out earrings?” he asks as H-neun takes the blue one from him.

 “Because if you want them to last a good while in good condition, you have to look after them right.”

 “You know I know when you’re lying, right?”

 “No, you don’t. If you did, you wouldn’t have been surprised I had a royalist contact.”

 “So you are-”

 “I’m not.”

 “What happened to no more secrets, Hano? You never did tell me how involved in the royalist movement you were either.” He pauses and frowns, adjusting his glasses. “Or what happened to you when you were with the council, H-neun.”

 H-neun raises an eyebrow. “Oh? Am I in trouble? Back to H-neun.”

 “You keep avoiding a lot of questions,” X-eins replies.

 “Do you not trust me, X?” H-neun says, leaning closer. “You think I’m keeping secrets? Lying to you? You think I really am I traitor? You’ll have to interrogate me thoroughly later, huh?”

 “I want you to tell me the truth,” he says. “You know I believe in you and trust you, but it’s annoying when don’t tell me the truth.”

 “Let’s go call Kriemhild then grab breakfast, huh?” he laughs, getting up from the bed as he fixes the last of his earrings. “Then we can get in touch with L-elf again. I’m sure he’ll be pleased to hear from us about Cain.”

 “H-neun,” X-eins snaps, following H-neun out the door.

 What’s so difficult about giving him a straight answer?! X-eins is starting to get the feeling H-neun is involved in something far deeper and darker than X-eins imagines. What’s the big deal about his earrings that he’s avoiding the questions and obviously lying? Perhaps X-eins had been blind and had ignored that H-neun was acting strangely recently, perhaps he hadn’t seen H-neun was with the royalists, but he knows H-neun. He knows something more is going on.

 

 They had back to the same phone booth as the day before, H-neun once again fixing in the hacking device. X-eins frowns and shuts the door behind them, leaning against the wall silently and letting H-neun work. Still puzzling over the secrets H-neun is keeping from him. Maybe it’s just a sign of how different their relationship has become over the years. Maybe he and H-neun just aren’t as close as they used to be, despite whatever tension has started to build between them.

 H-neun sighs. “I’ve done all this for you, and you’re really still doubting me?”

 “No,” X-eins replies. “I’m just trying to understand where things changed. You would tell me everything and know I was on your side, no matter what. And I always have been. I don’t know when that changed. I don’t know when you stopped trusting me. Why you stopped trusting me.”

 H-neun sighs and leans against the glass wall, turning his attention to the receiver. Why won’t H-neun just give him a straight answer? He won’t even give him a straight answer when it comes to his relationship with Kriemhild and the royalists. Or anything for that matter?

 “Ah, good morning!” H-neun chirps down the phone. “How is the most beautiful woman in the world today?”

 And they day had started so well.

 “As cold as ever,” H-neun sighs. X-eins scowls. Just what is H-neun’s relationship with Kriemhild? “It makes my heart race every time you scold me.”

 X-eins’ eyes narrow. Suddenly H-neun’s interest in Kriemhild and other women is bugging him. Maybe it always did. Maybe that was where this jealousy over them taking H-neun’s attention from him came from. Perhaps he’s only begun to notice it now he’s been able to identify these feeling for H-neun. Is that what these insecurities are about? Suddenly realising he has desires for H-neun, and that H-neun may return them, has unlocked all sorts of complicated, illogical feelings.

 “So? About my date?”

 X-eins’ nose scrunches up. It’s like H-neun is doing it on purpose! “You realise you’re about five seconds away from sexual harassment.”

 “I’ve already got a death sentence hanging over my head,” H-neun replies. “What’s a bit of banter?” Obviously Kriemhild agrees with X-eins if the wince H-neun is now sporting is anything to go by. “Fine, fine. So, about tea?”

 X-eins remains silent, watching as H-neun and Kriemhild chat away. As if he isn’t even there. Back to coded messages and inane chatter, so well done X-eins doesn’t know where one starts and the other finishes.

 And then suddenly, H-neun’s face softens. Far from the cheerful banter and laughter. Something genuine and caring usually reserved for X-eins only.

 “Don’t worry,” he murmurs, cheeks going pink. X-eins’ stomach churns. “I’ll be careful. X is keeping me in line.” He pauses and laughs lightly. “I’ll be good. I’m not going to get distracted by any pretty faces. After you, who’d compare?”

 

_Enough!_

 

 X-eins can’t stand it anymore. He pushes off the wall and taking the receiver from H-neun without any room for argument. H-neun stares back at him and X-eins find himself rather glad. He deserves it after all that. Kriemhild is snapping at H-neun on the other end of the line and H-neun reaches for the receiver again only for X-eins to catch his wrist and push him back against the wall with a firm glare.

 “X…? What are you… Is me working with the royalists really that much of a big deal?”

 “I apologise, Kriemhild,” X-eins says into the receiver, “but H-neun can’t talk any longer.”

 “X-eins?” Kriemhild snaps. “What-”

 “I hope you’ve discussed everything of importance,” he continues over her indignant questions. “I’m afraid H-neun won’t be available to you or your cause any longer.”

 “Put H-neun back on or you can forget about any help from us in escaping your miserable fate, X-eins.”

 “Perhaps you should consider your own position a little more, Kriemhild,” X-eins replies. H-neun reaches for the receiver against but X-eins shoves him back against the wall once more with a firm glare. “H-neun and I have very little to lose if we’re caught.”

 H-neun’s eyes widen a little. “X, you can’t-”

 “Quiet,” he snaps, pressing his fingers to H-neun’s lips. It’s incredibly satisfying to see H-neun’s cheeks flush as a result. He smiles a little, brushing his fingers lightly over H-neun’s lips. “H-neun is my partner. I will protect him with all I have, even if he has been unfaithful.”

 “You sound more and more like a jealous wife, X-eins,” Kriemhild says. “That’s no way to talk to someone who hold your fate-”

 “I imagine we could buy some leniency by giving them information on several high ranking royalists hiding within the elites of Dorssia’s military.”

 “H-neun would never let you-”

 “It’s my duty to deal with him,” X-eins says firmly. H-neun is staring back at him still. “H-neun will be thoroughly interrogated and punished for his poor decisions. I will make sure he fall back in line and never thinks of betrayal again. He doesn’t need to do silly things like think or rebel. He just needs to do what I tell him without question and I will look after him.”

 “Hey, X, wait a minute-”

 “Shut up, H-neun,” he snaps. H-neun nods a little and X-eins smiles, rewarding him with a gentle caress of his thumb over his lips. It certainly seems to settle H-neun a little, even if he still looks troubled. “Do what you must, Kriemhild, but H-neun is my responsibility and I will do whatever it takes to keep him in line.”

 “Hurting H-neun won’t help your case, X-eins.”

 “Perhaps. Or perhaps poor H-neun’s just been lead astray by a woman who knows far too well how to use her wiles to draw impressionable young subordinates into her web. Perhaps he just needs a good friend to smack some sense back into him and remind himself where he belongs.” H-neun opens his mouth to argue but X-eins glares a warning and he closes it quickly. “We both have responsibilities, it’s important to keep those responsibilities in mind. I won’t allow H-neun to be lured in by your cause any further. I hope you have a good day, Kriemhild.”

 He hangs up without another word, eyes never leaving H-neun’s. H-neun looks concerned. As if he thinks X-eins might actually have plans to hurt him somehow. Does he really think so little of him? There is is again though. The vulnerability and openness. A side of H-neun that really is reserved just for him.  

 “X-”

 “Shut up, idiot,” X-eins says.

 H-neun nods a little and X-eins smiles, stepping closer and stroking H-neun’s cheek lightly. Despite the wariness, H-neun is definitely mildly aroused. He can see it in his eyes. Perhaps he wasn’t kidding about enjoying when X-eins tells him off. Well, who’s X-eins to refuse H-neun his thrills? Especially after such a lovely wake up call this morning?

 “You understand why I did that, correct?”

 “I’m kinda hoping it’s just jealousy, but I get the feeling that’s wishful thinking.”

 X-eins narrows his eyes and H-neun smiles back awkwardly. “Do you remember what the royalists did to us, H-neun? The pain and misery they caused us? They would have killed us given a moment’s chance. We would be dead if Kriemhild and her companions had her way. Even A-drei-”

 “Don’t-”

 “That wasn’t a question, it didn’t require an answer,” X-eins says. H-neun nods a little, cheeks very obviously flushed now. And X-eins steps closer still, leaning in close and watching H-neun backing up against the glass wall. He catches H-neun’s chin and forces H-neun to gaze back at him once more. “The royalists are our enemies, H-neun. Even if Dorssia believes us to be the enemy right now, that doesn’t make the royalists our friends. It means we can only rely on each other. More than ever. It’s just the two of us. Understand?”

 “Yeah,” H-neun says, satisfyingly breathless. “Just me and you. Always.”

 “I will throw Kriemhild, and even A-drei, under the bus for you if I have to, H-neun. _Nothing_ means more to me than you. So don’t get any deeper with them.” H-neun nods and a small smirk tugs at X-eins’ lips. “How turned on are you right now?”

 H-neun lets out a deep breath. “Considerably.”

 “H-neun, if you want things to continue along a similar vein as this morning, our relationship has to change,” X-eins says firmly. H-neun nods. “I’ve thought about it and I… If you want to be involved with me further, then you will have accept this is more than physical. I just don’t think I can consider this just an extension of our friendship. There will be no more dating girls, no more fooling around with other men. Just you and me. Dating. As… boyfriends…”

 H-neun’s eyes have been growing wider and rounder as X-eins continues. He doesn’t know if that’s good or bad. Even so, X-eines is glad he’s said it. He thinks he had to. Whatever H-neun decides from here, X-eins is glad he’s said it. It’s liberating. To finally demand exactly what he wants from H-neun. He’s done what he can, now the ball’s in H-neun’s court.

 “I’m yours and only yours, X-eins,” H-neun whispers. “How many times do I have to tell you that before you understand how much I mean it?”

 “H-neun...”

 X-eins leans in, finally indulging his desires and kissing H-neun. H-neun is tense for a moment and X-eins wonders, for one terrifying moment, if he might have misjudged the situation. But finally H-neun’s hands slide down his sides and he pulls X-eins closer.

 “You’re kinda hot when you’re being scary,” H-neun breathes between kisses.

 

 X-eins sighs and steps back, much to H-neun’s obvious disappointment. They have other things to be doing. He picks up the hacking device, calling L-elf as they had yesterday H-neun leans close so they can both hear the receiver. And just as before, L-elf answers almost instantly, leaving the pair of them barely a moment to actually get their brains in gear and remember how to speak the JIORan language. Apparently L-elf isn’t going to humour them and speak any form of Dorssian while with the students.

 “Is that those Dorssian bastards again?”

 “ _Yamada._ ”

 “I’m unaware of the parental status of either of them, however since most of Karlstein’s students are orphans the odds favour that being their situation also,” L-elf replies. “You two are late.”

 “I wasn’t aware we had an appointment,” H-neun says.

 “I assume that means the relationship between the two of you has benefitted from this excursion and has moved to more intimate levels.”

 X-eins’ starts. “How could you possibly-”

 “It’s just like Cain knowing about A-drei,” H-neun hisses. “What if-”

 “I am human and you both know it,” L-elf says.

 “Mind reading powers,” he says quietly.

 “Just like Cain,” H-neun whispers.

 “As far as I’m aware, that’s not one of their powers.”

 X-eins nods slightly. “It would explain many of the similarities between them. We have no idea how much they’re actually capable of.”

 “You two appear to be ignoring me,” L-elf says. “So, I will continue as planned and assume you’re listening despite your inane banter and flirting. You usually managed during mission briefings perfectly well.”


	10. The Long Road

  Despite agreeing to follow Cain’s plan, they’re not. They’re following L-elf’s plan. Which is probably Cain’s plan anyway.

 X-eins is usually the most intellectually and strategically capable person in the room. When Cain and L-elf are around, X-eins can’t do much. It leaves him feeling more than a little frustrated. L-elf said head towards Dorrsiana, towards the meeting point Kriemhild had set up -whether that was before X-eins had been rude or not, he’s not sure - and they’d arrange something from there. Which probably means L-elf knows exactly what the plan is and will only see fit to inform them once they’ve jumped through the appropriate amount of hoops.

 So they’re on the road again. Of course Dorrsiana and the main road towards the city is under guard. It always is, but with the Valvraves around even more so. Unable to rely on their authority as military, it’ll be a struggle to get in. L-elf assures them there are papers being prepared and they will receive them when necessary.

 Typical L-elf.

 

 “I think I’m going to enjoy handing L-elf over,” H-neun says. X-eins rolls his eyes. H-neun is not the type to hand his friends over lightly. It’s all bluster and bravado. “I wonder if he’ll see that coming.”

 “Probably,” X-eins replies. “He’ll probably critique us on how we could have done it better and more efficiently.”

 “Oh, the last thing I need is a lecture while he’s being dragged away,” he sighs. “It’ll be worth it though. He can lecture all he likes but he’ll be the one going back to Dorssia to face his betrayal and we will be the ones who’ve cleared out names, get medals of honour and get some nice cushy life.”

 “Oh? You’re going to seduce me with promises of power and influence?”

 “I don’t need to promise stuff like that to seduce you, do I?”

 X-eins shakes his head a little. “No, I suppose you just have to be your normal charming self.”

 H-neun grins and X-eins rolls his eyes. Of course H-neun would be utterly intolerable now. X-eins sighs and touches H-neun’s hand gently. H-neun glances over, with a flash of the same familiar smile as always, and X-eins smiles softly. Only this time, rather than X-eins withdrawing and leaving it at that, H-neun catches his hand and pulls him close to his side. It’s strange to be walking hand in hand with H-neun like this but… oddly right. Whatever this is and whatever happens, it’s only his relationship with H-neun that really matters. After losing so much, this is all he wants. The pair of them have always been together, X-eins isn’t going to give up his partner now.

 “Think L-elf will see through this?” H-neun says.

 “Who knows,” X-eins sighs.

 “Think it’s better to stop trying to predict this kinda stuff and just do what’s fun? Whatever takes our fancy at the time?” X-eins scowls and H-neun grins. “They’re all expecting us to follow our training and protocol and strategy. They’re planning for us to follow some kind of plan in line with military tactics.”

 X-eins frowns. “More of this so crazy it just might work stuff?”

 “If we’re not following any kind of plan, it makes it harder for them to predict our movements.”

 “But we are following a plan. We’re going to capture L-elf.”

 “Are we?” H-neun says. X-eins frowns. “It makes sense to me that we just follow through with whatever plan is working best at the time. If it looks like Module 77 and the royalists are going to come out on top, we’ve betrayed Dorssia and are looking after our own interests. If it looks like Cain is going to win, we put our efforts into capturing L-elf and probably crippling Module 77 as far as we can and claim our reward.”

 

 X-eins frowns. Sometimes H-neun amazes him. That’s why they belong together though. People thought it was as simple as H-neun being hotheaded, dumb muscle - as much as any Karlstein graduate is dumb muscle - and X-eins was the calm, clear headed strategist who hung back as much as he could in battle. That’s why they’re a pair. So X-eins can direct H-neun and H-neun can protect X-eins.

 It’s far more than that though.

 They balance each other perfectly. Even Cain had once told them that when they’re at full strength, the pair could possibly match L-elf, maybe even outdo him. It feels a little insulting that it takes the two of even match L-elf. But this is where H-neun shows his worth. Cain, and rather annoyingly L-elf as well, constantly told X-eins he was too linear. H-neun is not at all. He’s rather non-sequential sometimes. He sees things X-eins doesn’t, just as X-eins fights in a different way.

 “Play both sides, huh?” X-eins says quietly.

 “Isn’t that what spies like us are supposed to do?” H-neun replies. “We’re supposed to be able to win in any situation. We’re supposed to survive.”

 “A soldier’s first duty is to survive,” he says. H-neun nods. “Fight another day and you still have a hope of winning.”

 “So we’ll survive this and make sure we pay back Cain and L-elf.”

 “Do you really think L-elf has betrayed us so easily?” X-eins sighs.

 H-neun sighs and tilts his head back. “I dunno, X. I mean, A-drei or Q-vier I’d think there was something going on-”

 “A-drei is planning a revolution.”

 “Well, ok, other than that,” he says, shaking his head. “I just mean, A-drei’s our friend. Even if he did betray us, he’d do it as quietly as possible. He wouldn’t go after us unless he had no other choice. Q-vier’s ridiculously loyal to Dorssia, because we’ve screwed him up. But L-elf’s always been kinda cold. He’s not really loyal to us as friends, is he? Even that aside, he shot A-drei. He’s been trying to kill us.”

 “I think if L-elf was trying to kill us we’d be dead by now.”

 “Urgh, I don’t know, X. I just really don’t know about any of this. How are we supposed to take all this? I don’t know what’s going on or who we’re supposed to trust or what our future is.”

 He sighs and runs a hand through his hair. X-eins gets it. L-elf has always been hard to read, and he shot A-drei, they can’t ignore them. His student pilots have gone after them under his orders. But he knows H-neun doesn’t want to believe it either. H-neun is just as confused about L-elf’s motives as X-eins.

 None of this really makes sense though. It’s not just L-elf. No one’s ever trained them for this bit. No one ever told them they could be running from their own friends and allies. Of course, they trained against each other, sometimes, but this is so different. It’s still so surreal.

 

 “So…” X-eins glances over at H-neun, who promptly turns away with something of a frown. “Can I kiss you?”

_So_ surreal.

 “When it’s appropriate,” X-eins replies, not entirely sure how to answer questions like that.

 “How very you,” H-neun says quietly. “So, like now?”

 X-eins glances away, pushing up his glasses nervously. “...yes…”

 H-neun smiles and stops, guiding him around to face him. He kisses X-eins’ fingertips lightly before leaning in and capturing his lips. It’s so strange. Everything has changed so quickly. H-neun is so comforting and reassuring. So warm. His perfect H-neun. His fingers slide along H-neun’s arms to his shoulders and X-eins steps closer to press against him. H-neun’s fingers tangle into his hair with such enthusiasm he nearly knocks off his glasses but X-eins doesn’t mind in the slightest. Being with H-neun like this is so incredible. It feels perfectly right. Just an extension of their friendship but so much more at the same time. And it hits X-eins that this is their first true kiss as a couple and somehow that makes it all the better.

 “Enough,” X-eins whispers, pushing H-neun away after a moment. “Enough now. We have to get moving on or we’re not going to make it in time. We need to keep moving.”

 “I’m glad you’re here to keep me in line, X.”

 “No shenanigans, H-neun,” he says firmly.

 “Oh, you’re telling me off again,” H-neun laughs.

 X-eins narrows his eyes and strides away. “You continue to be impossible.”

 “You know, I think you’re right,” he says with a smug grin. “Maybe I do like women like Kriemhild because they remind me of you.”

 X-eins shakes his head and listens to H-neun’s footsteps catching up behind him. After a moment he catches up and they carry on down the road. Although, X-eins finds himself watching H-neun discreetly as they walk.

 They’re only together because of a cruel twist of fate. Because his parents had shoved him out to play with the boisterous young boy from down the road rather than staying in and reading. It wasn’t as if they hadn’t played together before. Or that he disliked him. But he’d be much happier sitting down and watching the world from his window as he read read rather than going out. They said it was good for him to go and play with the boy who lived with his grandfather, like they always did when he wanted to stay inside reading. And didn’t really have many friends either, too rowdy and loud and troubled for the sleepy little town.

 They had fun though. Running through the fields with that stupid toy plane. Sunny green eyes shimmering as he declared one day he’d be the greatest pilot Dorssia had ever seen. And it was that time playing in the fields that saved them.

 And H-neun is certainly one of the greatest pilots in Dorssia’s fleet.

 If they hadn’t been shoved into each other that morning, one or both of them might have been lost. Probably him. After all, the rowdy boy from down the street would go out with his plane and play in the field whatever happened. H-neun would probably have managed whether X-eins stood at his side or not. H-neun could take care of himself. X-eins’ doubts even if he had survived he’d have made it through basic military training, let alone to Karlstein. H-neun is so much more independent than him, X-eins thinks.

 And he realises, H-neun could have survived without him. X-eins could never have survived without H-neun.

 

 “You’re looking thoughtful,” H-neun says. “What’s wrong?”

 “Just thinking,” he says softly. “It’s fine. It’s nothing.”

 “What happened to no more secrets?” he teases.

 “You don’t get to say that sort of thing until you’ve stop keeping secrets,” X-eins snaps. H-neun grins and X-eins turns away. If H-neun is just going to get hot and bothered when he tells him off he’s never going to get anywhere. “Give me something, Hano. At least tell me what’s going on with you and Kriemhild.”

 “There’s nothing between me and Kriemhild, no matter how hard I tried,” H-neun laughs with a shrug.

 “Stop putting up fronts, Hano,” he says, shaking his head. “Just tell me the truth. It’s just me. I’m not going to use it against you or tell anyone. I’d like to think there’s nothing between you since we’re together now, I don’t think you’re the kind of man who’d do that, after all. And after what I said about traitors I do understand why you were hesitant to tell me about being a royalist-”

 “I’m not,” he says. X-eins frowns and H-neun smiles back. “I was working with them, and I’m sympathetic, but I’m not actually one of them.”

 “Then… what were you doing? How come you and Kriemhild-”

 “You’re really hung up on that, aren’t you? You’re so jealous.”

 “Stop interrupting me.” He scowls and tilts his head away slightly. “Maybe a bit.”

 “Hmm?”

 “Jealous,” X-eins says quietly. H-neun nudges against him lightly and X-eins purses his lips. H-neun knows exactly what he means, he doesn’t need to push! “Of you and Kriemhild. I’m jealous of you and Kriemhild. Happy?”

 “Very,” H-neun laughs. “You’re jealous because you think I actually like her? You’re feeling threatened?”

 “Don’t,” he mutters, cheeks warming. “I just don’t like the idea that you’re so smitten with someone that they’d lead you astray.”

 “And yet, I’m so smitten with you I’ve betrayed my country just to be with you.”

 “Don’t, Hano.”

 “Kriemhild and I just had a common goal,” he explains. X-eins frowns and H-neun smiles. “My interest is not in the royal family or revolution, just protecting what’s important to me. I was pooling resources with Kriemhild to look into Cain.”

 “You were investigating Cain?” X-eins says with a frown. “Even before this?”

 “I saw him do incredible things, X,” H-neun sighs. “Things no human could ever do. I didn’t know if it was some kind of magic or alien but, well, I saw a Valvrave shoot him at damn near point blank and he came out without a scratch. And that’s slightly suspicious.”

 “So you started investigating him then?”

 “A bit before then, but yeah.”

 “Why before then?”

 H-neun sighs and tilts his head. X-eins frowns. H-neun has been so evasive recently, he can’t make sense of it. What on earth is his problem? It’s strange, realising the person X-eins had only a few days ago believed he knew like he knew himself was hiding far more than he ever imagined. He’d misjudged him. He hadn’t known about any of this. Just how far from his side has H-neun gone?

 

 “Hano-”

 H-neun smiles down at him, making the words catch in his throat, and reaches up to touch one of his earrings lightly. The maroon one this time. It’s a terrible nervous habit. For all he talks about keeping them in good condition, playing with them constantly can’t be good for them.

  _“That’s the sort of thing I wouldn’t mind doing again.”_ X-eins frowns at A-drei’s breathless voice. A recording? He blinks slowly. H-neun’s earrings? They’re recording devices? _“What about you?”_

  _“Whatever our prince wants,”_ the recorded H-neun replies. _“Certainly wasn’t unpleasant.”_

 The recorded A-drei sighs. _“I’m just not X-eins, am I?”_

  _“That’s supposed to be a secret.”_ X-eins glances up at H-neun as he and A-drei laugh on the the recording. H-neun has wanted to be with him all this time? And even A-drei knew? _“Like you and L-elf.”_

_“That_ is _supposed to be a secret.”_

_“A badly kept one.”_

 X-eins frowns a little at the affection in H-neun’s voice. Tender and kind. He knows H-neun loves all their team. He adores them all more than anything, but there is a slight sting of jealousy. And there is something annoying about hearing H-neun’s affection for A-drei after what is no doubt a rather intimate moment. He wrinkles his nose and H-neun smiles back. As if his mind reading powers have returned. He stops and pulls X-eins around once more, wraps his arms around him and presses their mouths together in an utterly breathtaking kiss.

_“Is it nice, being a proper prince again for a bit?”_ H-neun says softly on the recording.

  _“I don’t know, really,”_ comes A-drei’s reply as X-eins pushes H-neun against the wall at the side of the road. There’s something oddly satisfying about it. As if kissing H-neun like this somehow oneups the recorded little prince. It’s terribly irrational, but X-eins is starting to realise a lot of what he feels around H-neun is. _“It’s not what I’m used to anymore. I’m a soldier now. I’m not used to being called your highness seriously. Or addressed by my own real name. Or hearing yours.”_ X-eins draws back a moment, eyes narrowed, his hand on the real H-neun’s chest as the recorded one laughs. _“Is it your real name?”_

 H-neun’s hands cup his face and bringing their lips together once more with a soft, breathy whispered answer to the recording. “No.”

  _“I don’t really remember,”_ the recording says.

  _“I’m sorry.”_ There’s a moment of silence, the groan of mattress shifting and sheets rustling. And a small huff from H-neun as A-drei no doubt lays on top of him. X-eins wrinkles his nose, gripping H-neun’s hips and drawing a needy groan _“Hano... hypothetically, if there was a situation where my position was returned to me, would you stay by my side?”_

 X-eins jerks back and glares at H-neun. “You knew-”

  _“I think… if you’re asking me whether, through the current system, your status as Prince was acknowledged and you were given a political and diplomatic position the required a guard, then I certainly wouldn’t object.”_

  _“Of course, but-”_

  _“But, as a son of Karlstein and proud Dorssian, I would never consider working to overthrow the government and reinstate the old system.”_ X-eins scowls at H-neun through the silence. He picked his words very carefully there. H-neun just smiles back, leaning in and pecking his lips. _“I would be proud to serve you then and only then, A-drei.”_

  _“You know?”_

  _“I don’t know anything because you’re not up to anything, are you? We were raised to take advantage of every situation and every opportunity, A-drei, but not until the opportunity presents itself, understand?”_

  _“Hano...”_

 

 X-eins reaches over and presses the earring so the recording cuts off. Recording devices in his earrings. Incredible. No wonder H-neun takes such great care to look after them thoroughly. He sighs, stealing one last, lingering kiss from H-neun, reminding himself silently of H-neun’s promise - his and only his, and even A-drei seemed to know it back then - before straightening up and dusting himself off to move again.

 Although, he frowns a little and pauses. That was the maroon one. If they’re to match their hair, in case of his death, that one goes to Q-vier. The conversation was certainly enough to set Q-vier after A-drei.

 “You’d let Q-vier go after A-drei?” X-eins says as they start to walk again.

 “I doubt Q-vier would have worked out the secret,” H-neun replies. “Or really cared to try.”

 “I think you underestimate how much Q-vier looks up to you. In his own way. I think we’ve both been underestimating him. You heard what he said about not wanting us to go home and face trial.”

 “You think?” X-eins nods. “Alright then. But if something does happen to me, I want the people involved to pay. Q-vier would at least go after any traitor without mercy. Especially one who killed a member of his team. I trusted A-drei, but I needed backup just in case.”

 “I hope we get time to sit down and talk to him once we’re proven innocent,” X-eins sighs.

 “I think we should if we survive,” H-neun agrees. “Maybe he felt left out. It was always me and you, and A-drei and L-elf. He never had someone like we did.”

 “He’s hard to deal with,” X-eins says with a frown. “We’re not his parents and he is a soldier, we could hardly baby him, and I doubt he would have appreciated it. I don’t know how to deal with him.”

 “I’m just saying we should make sure he’s involved in the team properly.”

 “We’re not much of a team anymore, Hano. Especially if we’re planning on walking away after this mission.”

 H-neun frowns a little and tilts his head. “Hey, X, let’s go home after this.”

 “Home?” X-eins says.

 “We haven’t see our families in years,” H-neun replies.

 X-eins smiles bitterly. They hadn’t. X-eins remembers the child at their graves all too vividly. Crying helplessly. Not knowing what to do. And the rowdy boy from down the road, with fury and fire in those once sunny eyes.

 “Let’s do that,” X-eins says with a nod. “I’ll find you a new model plane. You can tell me again how you’re going to be the greatest pilot in Dorssia.”

 “If you’re going to make fun of me, let’s not bother,” H-neun replies with a pout.

 “Getting sensitive?” H-neun glares half-heartedly and X-eins smiles back. “Come on, we’d better pick up the pace. I don’t feel like getting lectured by L-elf on being late again.”

 “It’d be easier not to be late if he actually gave us a schedule.”

 X-eins nods, the pair striding on down the road towards Dorssiana and the towns around. Towards L-elf, the royalists and the Valvraves. How low they’ve fallen. Relying on royalists and students. He sighs and glances over at H-neun. Even so, now matter how far they’ve fallen, X-eins doesn’t really care as long as he’s beside H-neun.

 

 “Oh, a coach,” H-neun says, suddenly grabbing X-eins hand. “Come on. I don’t wanna walk.”

 He drags X-eins away towards the coach at a run and X-eins decides it best to just go with it rather than bother fighting him. They reach it just as the doors are shutting and H-neun grins as the driver glares down at them.

 “You’re going to Dorssiana? Got any spare seats?”

 “Sure, sure,” the driver sighs. “Lots of cancellations. The route is going to be slow. There’s a bunch war games going on. Simulations for traitors. Lots of checkpoints.”

 “Ah, great, we don’t mind checkpoints,” he laughs. “Slow sounds like a good way to see the countryside, don’t you think?”

 X-eins nods a little. “You’re late for everything anyway, why stop now?”

 “How much?”

 X-eins digs out their money and pays up, he and H-neun heading down the coach to the back, sitting together out of sight. Hidden from prying eyes. Their bag is stowed beneath their seats and X-eins pushes H-neun into the window seat.

 “But you always-”

 “Well, today you’re having it,” X-eins says. It’s true, he does always go for the window seat, but he has his reasons today. “Besides, it keeps your bad shoulder out of harm’s way. So, please, be quiet and enjoy the view.”

 “I think you just told me to shut up,” H-neun laughs as X-eins slips into the seat next to him.

 “I did, now hush.” He reaches under the seat into the bag and throw a blanket over H-neun. “Rest. It’s a long journey.”

 H-neun laughs, leaning in for a kiss but X-eins pushes his face away. “X-”

 “Not in public.”

 “No one can see.”

 “Not in public,” X-eins repeats.

 H-neun pouts and leans back pouting slightly but nodding. X-eins smiles, patting this thigh gently and leaning back in his seat with his eyes closed. The checkpoints shouldn’t be too much of a hassle. Hopefully. But H-neun is right. This is better than walking. Especially in the condition they’re in.

 “So, you did know about A-drei?” X-eins says quietly.

 “You were interrupting me,” H-neun replies. X-eins opens one eye. “You kept interrupting me that night. I couldn’t tell you anything.”

 X-eins frowns. He supposes, thinking back, he did keep interrupting H-neun that day. He sighs and tilts his head back in the seat, closing his eye again. H-neun’s hand finds his and draws it slowly under the blanket, their fingers entwined loosely. And for some dumb reason it puts a content smile on X-eins’ lips.

 “No more secrets, Hano,” he whispers.

 H-neun squeezes his hand and X-eins is sure he hears him mumble his name - his real name - as he drifts off. And for some dumb reason, that makes him smile too. Maybe, when everything is said and done here, they can go back to those names once more. Shed the bloodstained H-neun and X-eins and become just a pair of young lovers from a sleepy mountain village who know nothing of the capital, it’s politics and it’s wars, all over again.


	11. Smoke Screen

 Most the checkpoints have been easy. They check the driver’s papers and the details on the bus route. They didn’t bother with the passengers. Until they’re within a few hours reach of the a town. The first proper town they’ve seen on this journey.

 The bus is stopped again and this time they’re asking everyone to show their ID and getting them off. H-neun and X-eins wait silently. They’re at the back, they’re the last ones to be checked. X-eins watches the armed soldiers silently, squeezing H-neun’s hand tightly. They’ve got the entire group of travellers rounded up together under guard and they both know this isn’t really normal. There’s something going on.

 The soldiers approach and X-eins reaches for his pistol.

 “ID?”

 It’d be a pain to kill them all, but X-eins certainly could. He and H-neun have slaughtered larger, better trained forces. Half a dozen soldiers who’ve got nothing better to do than check papers are no concern to them.

 But instead, H-neun has picked up his bag and is searching through it as if he’s searching for their IDs. X-eins scowls at him but H-neun is smiling, completely ignoring the soldiers drumming their fingers impatiently against their guns.

 “Ah, found it!” H-neun chirps, pulling out a piece of paper. X-eins’ scowl deepens, reaching for it to investigate just what H-neun is handing over but the soldiers snatch it from him. “That’s all you need, right?”

 X-eins scowls at the paper. That was the royal crest. Why was that the royal crest? Why did H-neun have paper with the royal crest? He glares discreetly at H-neun, who grins back, leaning heavily against his side.

 “Yes,” the soldier says stiffly, handing back the paper. “That will be plenty, you highness.” Your highness?! He glares furiously at H-neun, his grip tightening on his pistol. “And him?”

 “Ah, you think they let me just wander around without an escort?” H-neun sighs. He reaches under X-eins shirt, even as X-eins reaches up to stop him. “Easy, silly.”

 He pulls out X-eins’ ID tag, flashing it purposefully so only the Karlstein crest is visible. The soldiers straighten up and X-eins bats H-neun’s hand away, tucking his tag away again, glaring furiously. Idiot, they’re supposed to be keeping off the radar.

 “Sorry, sir,” the soldier says. “We just didn’t expect-”

 “Of course you didn’t,” H-neun laughs before X-eins can reply. “That’s the point. We’re lying low. He’s taking me to Dorssiana. Those royalists tried to assassinate me. I got shot and everything. If it wasn’t for my brave, handsome guard, I might not have made it at all.”

 X-eins stiffens at H-neun’s hand far too obviously sliding up his thigh as H-neun leans into his neck. He grasps H-neun’s wrist instantly, jerking his hand away and pushing him back against the window.

 “I’m starting to regret it,” he hisses, managing to fall to pick up his role in this charade rather easily. “Please, arrest him, I’ll take the punishment for losing him.”

 “A royal pain in the ass, huh?” the soldiers laugh and X-eins nods.

 “You love me really,” H-neun laughs.

 X-eins turns to snap at him but H-neun kisses him. Not just in public but in front of Dorssian soldiers! He shoves H-neun off, holding him at bay with a hand against his chest, glaring furiously.

 “Please,” X-eins says, smiling up at the soldiers. “Please, arrest him.”

 “So much for Karlstein’s finest. Stuck babysitting a royal playboy.”

 “He’s pretty, so it’s fine by me,” H-neun laughs.

 “Can’t risk him falling into royalist hands,” X-eins sighs. “Once he’s in Dorssiana, I’ll be glad to get back to actual work.”

 “We’ll leave you to it,” the soldiers says. “Have fun with your ward, Karlstein.”

 

 X-eins glares after them before X-eins turns his glare onto H-neun, who grins back sheepishly. “X-”

 “I am going to shoot you myself,” X-eins hisses. H-neun grins, reaching for his hand but X-eins pushes him away. His eyes narrow. “Why do you have royal papers? And I swear if you say A-drei, I will actually shoot you.”

 “Well, then I can’t tell you why I have royal papers,” H-neun replies.

 “H-neun-”

 There are gunshots and X-eins realises after a moment how sad it is that neither of them even glances to find out what it was. Someone had been found who didn’t have the right ID or was a royalist. They had one less travelling companion. Instead, X-eins is focused on H-neun.

 “Are you going to tell me off again?” H-neun whispers.

 “Starting to thin Kriemhild was right when she called you a ridiculously horny child,” X-eins mutters.

 “Mm, but I want you, X,” he purrs against his neck.

 “You are unbelievable,” he says, eyes narrowed. “Pulling a stunt like that, acting like that, if they’d known our faces they would have-” H-neun groans against his neck and X-eins scowls, adjusting his glasses. “I’ll move seats.”

 It’s something of a blessing that the other passengers start to board again so H-neun can’t reply and goes as far as sitting back. At last. He’s not going to tolerate H-neun’s games. If he thinks he can put his hands on him whenever he likes just because they’re together now, he has another thing coming. The coach starts to move again and X-eins closes his eyes once more, ignoring H-neun. Telling him off obviously doesn’t get him anywhere. It just gets him more worked up.

 

 It’s an hour or so into their journey into the night, X-eins opens his eyes. The countryside is dark and quiet, with only the lights of town on the hill to break the night. H-neun is resting next to him, curtains pulled around their seats to compartmentalise the passengers at least a little. It makes them more secluded than ever.

 “Are you awake?” X-eins whispers.

 “No,” H-neun murmurs.

 “Good,” he says softly, shifting subtly closer. “Stay quiet, ok?”

 “Quiet? Why-”

 “Because I never did get to punish you for that stunt earlier.”

 H-neun’s eyes crack open and X-eins smiles, tracing his fingers lightly across H-neun’s thigh. And it’s rather satisfying to feel H-neun tense beneath his touch instantly.

 “X,” H-neun whispers, breath hitching.

 “Shh,” X-eins says, putting a finger to his lips. “If you’re too loud, I’ll stop.”

 “ _Shit,_ ” he breathes as X-eins’ fingers brush his crotch. X-eins frowns and H-neun bites his lip. “Don’t stop.”

 “That’s your only warning about your language.”

 “Right,” he groans.

 X-eins smiles a little. Even in the darkness, he’s sure he can see a dark blush on his cheeks. He smiles, hand moving discreetly under the sheets. It’s best to repay the favour, after all, he’d never really had the chance. Now H-neun’s getting paid back for all he’s done. It’s lovely to see him biting his lip, trying to stay quiet as X-eins traces the outline of the growing bulge.

 “Don’t tease,” H-neun whispers.

 “Have patience,” X-eins replies. “It’ll be worth it.”

 “Your plans always take to long.”

 “And you always rush. Now, hush.”

 H-neun nods weakly and leans into X-eins’ shoulder, letting him continue as he pleases. There’s something different about it. About this entire situation. It’s not really what he’d ever imagined a relationship between them to be like, and yet it feels perfectly right. Handing out orders and having them actually obeyed for once. Although that’s perhaps because there’s no combat to act as a distraction.

 It’s an oddly powerful position. As if giving H-neun orders is unusual. But it feels different. And having H-neun leaning into his side, breathing hard as X-eins teases him, is incredible. The more he experiences time with H-neun the more he’s starting to realise that he’s not just a hormonal teen as Kriemhild always said. Quite the opposite, in fact, there’s something naive and puppyish about it. He’s not desperate for sexual activity, he’s desperate for affection. To show his affection physically. And just as he thinks that, H-neun leans up and kisses him enthusiastically. Well, it does keep him nice and quiet and he doesn’t exactly mind kissing H-neun.

 Not that X-eins makes it easy for H-neun. It’s a punishment to some extent, after all. He has to learn his lesson. Even as H-neun’s legs fall open and his head rolls back, he does nothing more than gently tease. Just enough to keep him helplessly turned on, enough to make sure he’s struggling to keep silent. He’s flushed and breathing hard and pushing his hips forward desperately for more. It’s actually rather adorable.

 And just as when H-neun obviously can’t hold himself together any longer, X-eins draws his hand away. H-neun glares, although it’s rather pathetic when he’s that flushed and his eyes are that hazy, but it’s the attempt that counts. Of course, H-neun instantly moves to finish off himself but X-eins catches his wrists, pushing them back to the armrests.

 “No,” he whispers, but it’s no less an order. “Behave.”

 “X,” H-neun groans, pressing their lips together desperately. “X, c’mon. I’m desperate.”

 “I know, I know you are,” he replies with a small smile. “Just cool off a little.”

 H-neun opens his mouth, a curse obviously on his lips, but he manages to restrain himself and instead kisses X-eins once more. “I knew you were secretly a sadist.”

 Sadist? Him? He smiles and kisses him softly but after that, leaves him to relax a little. And he’s rather glad that H-neun follows orders and leaves his hands on the armrests, even his his grip is a little tight.

 “Breathe,” he says softly. “Don’t worry, you’ll get everything you deserve. There’s nothing wrong with making the pleasure last.”

 And X-eins makes sure that it does. It’s rather thrilling to have H-neun falling apart under his touch in public like this. Every time he feels him about to reach his climax, he stops, allowing time to settle again. It’s certain unbelievably erotic to have H-neun collapsing against his side, trembling and panting as he clutches at X-ein’s shirt. His eyes are glazed and almost teary. Tormented by his own pleasure. It’ll teach him a lesson about being so handsy in public.

 But H-neun is _begging_ for release and X-eins can’t really deny him that. He guides H-neun’s mouth to his once more and then pushes him slowly down to the seats beneath them. Even with the armrests pushed up, it’s still not really enough space to make them wholey comfortable but it does the job. H-neun’s thighs slide around his hips as X-eins leans over him. Hands clutch at X-eins’ shirt, hips rocking early into his as they share feverish kisses.

 “Hands above your head,” X-eins commands at at whisper. And H-neun does as he’s told without hesitation. “Good boy.”

 “Patronising,” H-neun mutters.

 “Hush.”

 He puts one hand over H-neun’s mouth, the other sliding down to unfasten his trousers and slip his hand inside. His hand over H-neun’s mouth suddenly seems like a very good idea as H-neun groans. He pushes up into X-eins’ touch, breath hitching as X-eins moves to bring him to climax at last.

 

 The early morning light comes in through the windows, touching H-neun’s sleeping face in a beautiful way. X-eins smiles, petting his hair gently as he sleeps on his laps. He’d had quite the workout. He deserves a rest.

 Until X-eins spots something worrying out the corner of the window. His eyes narrow and he shakes H-neun’s shoulder gently.

 “Hano, wake up,” he whispers. “Hano.”

 “Wha-”

 “Q-vier.”

 “Shit.” H-neun pushes himself up and gazes out the window. Q-vier is very obvious, standing on a the backseat of the 4x4, giving out orders as A-drei sits gracefully beside him, talking quietly to the Karlstein boy. “Ah _shit_.”

 “Plan?” X-eins murmurs.

 “Stay down and hope they don’t notice us?” H-neun replies.

 “And if they stop the coach for checks?” he snaps.

 H-neun frowns, pulling out his pistol. “Plan B.”

 “Different Plan B,” X-eins says, putting a hand on H-neun’s and tilting his gun. “Civilian injury.”

 “Distraction.”

 “Low level checks.”

 “Royal papers.”

 H-neun grins and lifts his pistol, glancing through the curtains before firing. There’s a scream from a young woman and the coach screeches to a stop. X-eins grabs their bag from under the seats and they shove the blanket back in. They need to be ready to move. Only it’s A-drei and Q-vier and their shadow that come to deal with the situation. Not ideal.

 H-neun shoots out the window the second A-drei and Q-vier are on the coach and they’re out as footsteps run down the coach. They pull around to the back of the coach, out of sight from the pair no doubt looking for them.

 “Plan C then,” H-neun whispers.

 “Into the town,” X-eins replies. “Get our bearings. Figure out a new plan of attack.”

 H-neun nods and X-eins takes out his own pistol as they creep around the coach, listening to the chaos above. And then they break for it. Luckily, by the time they’re spotted heading into the town, it’s only low level soldiers. They yell after them but it’s too late. They’re already in the darkness of the alleys before anyone can stop them. They manage to haul themselves up onto the rooftops and drop down the other side of an apex, watching as the soldiers start to hurry past.

 “Royalists or those deserters?”

 “As if royalists would be able to just vanish like that.”

 “They’re ours then.”

 

 “What are we going to do?” H-neun hisses.

 X-eins frowns, glancing around to figure out a plan and quickly. There has to be something other than just shooting all their former comrades, doesn’t there? And with Q-vier and A-drei here too. He groans and leans against H-neun’s side.

 “Recon,” he says.

 H-neun nods and follows him silently along the rooftops, letting X-eins get a feel of the town and the positions of the troops. He frowns, looking over everything he has to work with, trying to keep as hidden as possible the entire time.

 X-eins fingers brush H-neun’s and H-neun flashes a reassuring smile. He's thankful beyond belief. H-neun believes he can do this. He's relying on him. He had to figure things out somehow.

 “Alright,” he says at last. “I think I have a plan.”

 “Don't think,” H-neun whispers. “Be sure. You're the best. Just give me your orders and I'll obey without question.”

 X-eins nods. “I'm sure. Trust me.”

 “Always.”

 X-eins nods and sits back, explaining the situation quietly along with his plan. He smiles. And H-neun nods along with a trusting, reassuring smile. They can do this. They can make it through and survive. They're going home. Together.

 

 “Not doubting your abilities, X-”

 “If you’re about to ask me if I can really get a shot like this from here, you’ll have two injured shoulders, Hano.”

 X-eins glances up at H-neun, who grins back and waves his hands passively. “Of course, I wouldn’t doubt you for a second. You’re a way better shot than I am anyway.”

 “You excel in other areas,” X-eins says, pushing his glasses up on top of his head and lining up the shot carefully. “You talk too much to aim properly anyway.”

 “Point taken.”

 X-eins is glad H-neun understands enough to be quiet now and let X-eins line up, finding his line of sight and figure out what he needs to do. He doesn’t want to do this. This is probably why Cain suggested they stay two nights, so this group would move on, but they’re following L-elf’s orders so as not to arouse suspicions. There’s no other way. They’ve got to push on and make it through before they’re caught. Nothing is getting in their way.

 “Go,” X-eins murmurs. “Don’t get caught.”

 “You either,” H-neun replies. “Meeting point, fifteen minutes.”

 “I know. Go.”

 H-neun nods, footsteps moving away to silence. He’s not going to let H-neun down. Even if he has to go through A-drei and Q-vier to protect him. X-eins waits thirty seconds. Enough time for H-neun to get clear.

 “Sorry, A-drei.”

 He fires.

 The explosion echoes through the town and there are yells instantly. Everyone scrambling to find the shooter. X-eins knock his glasses back down onto his nose and takes off at the run. It doesn’t exactly take long for them to realise where the shot came from. He jumps from the roof, using a drainpipe to slowly his descent and hit the ground running. Urban combat was not Karlstein’s forte, but their skills will do in a pinch. Ideally when in urban areas with civilians around they’re either laying low or working on espionage. This is not ideal, but they don’t have any choice anymore. And using non-lethal force is just a slap in the face to all their teachings.

 “They’re here!” Q-vier laughs, running straight passed X-eins’ hiding spot. “Are you still alive, A-drei?”

 “Somehow,” A-drei calls from out of sight.

 “Only X-eins could make a shot like that and not hurt anyone! I’ll deal with him, you can take out H-neun. If I don’t get them both!”

 “ _Capture,_ Q-vier. Cain’s orders were to capture them _alive_!”

 “Fine, fiiiine.”

 X-eins turns away. Let Q-vier go on a wild goose hunt trying to find him from his vantage point. As if he’d stay here and wait to be found. He turns to move down the alley, away from the meeting point for now. H-neun will deal with the soldiers milling around. It’s X-eins’ job to lure Q-vier and give him time. It’s why he doesn’t bother being too stealthy. Let Q-vier realise and come after him. X-eins will be ready.

 Over the yells of the soldiers, it’s not hard to slip around unnoticed. There’s blood on the ground already. Turning on each other as H-neun leaves them unconcious. Jumping at shadows. A shame, but necessary.

 

 “Found you!”

 X-eins stops, lifting his pistol shooting Q-vier’s straight from his hand. Not that it upsets him at all. Quite the opposite. A grin lights up his face and he tilts his head, whipping out a knife from his sleeve. Of course.

 “I’m so glad you’re resisting, X-eins. Now I can use force. I’m sure you’re not as strong as H-neun, but you’ll be good, right? There’s lots I can learn from you.”

 H-neun’s right. They’re going to need to talk with Q-vier once everything is said and done.

 Melee combat is not where X-eins’ excels. At least not compared to his team. X-eins is realistic about his abilities; he’s the worst in close combat. Q-vier made up for less skill with far too much enthusiasm and bloodlust. X-eins’ takes half a step back as Q-vier sprints forward. He twists his gun to catch Q-vier’s knife in the cut in.

 “You’re scared, X-eins?” Q-vier giggles, pushing against him even with his knife caught. Q-vier’s stronger than X-eins remembers. “You should be. Death to traitors, remember? Just like we promised. Now you’re a traitor too!”

 “I don’t want to hurt you, Q-vier,” X-eins snaps, twisting aside.

 “But once I get rid of you, H-neun will come home, won’t he?” he replies with a twisted grin. X-eins frowns and almost steps back. That’s a new development. “You’re the only reason he’s betrayed us, right? If you weren’t around, he’d still be with us. So, if I get rid of you, he’ll come home and we can tell everyone how he’s always been loyal, he just got mislead by you.”

 Q-vier’s knife slides free as he staggers passed. Of course, the youngster just laughs madly, turning on his heel and coming back at him with a slash X-eins barely steps away from. He really doesn’t want to get into a knife fight with Q-vier. Indulging him never goes well.

 “You’re fast, as always! Even if you say you don’t want to hurt us, you shot at us! You tried to kill us in that explosion, right?!”

 “You think if I had a shot like that and wanted you dead, you’d be here fighting? If I was going to shoot you, I’d have shot you.”

 Q-vier throws himself forward, thrusting his knife at X-eins’ throat again. And again, X-eins gets the blade in his gun’s cut in. This time Q-vier’s grin widens. He twists, throwing their locked weapons up as another knife slips out from his sleeve, blade aimed straight for his side. X-eins sets his jaw but steps into the swipe, grabbing his wrist and forcing him to a stop.

 And Q-vier just laughs.

 He braces his feet and throws his weight back. It’s been far too long since X-eins last sparred with Q-vier. He’s a lot stronger than before. And heavier. So when Q-vier shoves himself back, X-eins can’t stop himself being shoved back, slamming his back into the alley wall and winding him completely. Q-vier is getting in his way. He doesn’t have long to get back to H-neun. Because there’s no way the idiot is going to be following the plan and leaving whether X-eins is there or not.

 Q-vier swings his blade again and X-eins drops to his knees. The edge catches his throat and a few hairs but X-eins doesn’t have time to stop. He grabs a smoke grenade from his pocket.

 “I got you, X-eins!” Q-vier giggles, spinning around to face him. X-eins’ blood flashes on the blade. “Aww, that doesn’t look as serious as I’d hoped.”

 “You’re in my way, Q-vier,” X-eins hisses, pulling the pin and tossing the grenade between them. “I’ll explain all this one day if we meet again alive.”

 “You-”

 The smoke covers the alley and X-eins runs. Q-vier’s footsteps are right behind him and X-eins watches the ground carefully for the cellar door he’d spotted earlier. Finally, he hits it, the difference in footsteps giving him the clue he needed. He yanks up the door and leaves it open.

 “Watch your step, Q-vier. Mind you don’t fall.”

 “You’re gonna regret looking down on me!” Q-vier yells, footsteps changing to a wooden echo as his figure emerges. “Now I know where you- ah!”

 The footsteps give way to a thud and crumple. X-eins sighs, picking up the cellar door. “I told you to be careful. I hope you’re not too hurt.”

 “X- X-eins!” The doors slam shut and X-eins’ kicks shoves the wooden plank between the bolts. Q-vier lets out a scream of frustration, a few shots coming up through the wood. “X-eins!”

 X-eins hurries on, ignoring Q-vier yelling He doesn’t have long before H-neun is supposed to leave whether X-eins is there or not. X-eins hopes he’d stick to the plan but knowing H-neun he’d wait.

 

 H-neun is, of course, waiting for him at the meeting point just on the other side of town. X-eins smiles and glances down at his watch. A minute to spare. H-neun grins from the back of the 4x4. A-drei is glaring furiously but doesn’t say a word. H-neun’s knife is pressed against his throat and he’s holding their prince helpless. Well, H-neun was always the one closest to match L-elf in combat, A-drei didn’t stand much chance, even with the handicap of his shoulder.

 “You could have got me a nicer car, Hano,” X-eins says, swinging up into the driver’s seat. “I apologise, your highness. You were useful.”

 “I’m sure,” A-drei replies stiffly.

 They pull out onto the road, speeding off in near silence. H-neun usually drives. He enjoys driving. He’s motherly type. The amount of times he threatened to turn their car around if Q-vier didn’t behave. As if he really was their mother. As if that was an option. And X-eins drives, H-neun is binding A-drei’s wrists and making him at least a little more comfortable. He is their prince, after all. And he’s sure there’s more to their relationship than H-neun tells him. A quick kiss and fumble in the bathroom to make the cover believable? He’s not buying it.

 “You know hostages don’t work against Dorssia,” A-drei says.

 X-eins glances back. His voice is strained and he’s obviously shaken. X-eins is almost glad. He really does believe in them. At least someone does. And someone doesn’t want to kill him for H-neun. He frowns and glances back at A-drei and H-neun once more. No. A-drei is mad about L-elf. That’s been obvious from the start. Right?

 “Perhaps,” H-neun says quietly.

 “Don’t play games with me,” he snaps. “At least answer me straight. They said you were selling military secrets but I refuse to believe you two sold us out for no reason. Why would you betray us?”

 “If we said we didn’t?” X-eins says. “You’d forgive us as quickly as you’re trying to forgive L-elf?”

 “You’re my friends, I refuse to believe after all this time I have known the pair of you that I wouldn’t know if you were traitors.”

 “Like F-sech was our friend?” H-neun says.

 “Because you’re leading the revolution?” X-eins says.

 A-drei frowns and shakes his head. As if he can deny it. As if there’s anyway he can deny it. Their little prince is the one who deserves to die from the start. Maybe H-neun wasn’t so wrong with his assessment back then. A-drei couldn’t be accused because he was a prince. They needed proof. It was so much easier to place blame on H-neun and F-sech.

 “Cain had me investigating you, A-drei. And haven’t you already tried to turn H-neun to your side?”

 “You-”

 “Just shut up and be a good hostage for a bit, A-drei,” H-neun says, unusually quietly. “Please.”

 “X, Hano-”

 “You know if you’re seen to be letting us off at again you’ll be killed, A-drei,” he says firmly. “So shut up and play along. I won’t be for long.” A-drei scowls and glances aside. “We are sorry, A-drei.”

 “And we are grateful to you for letting us go last time,” X-eins agrees. “But you can’t risk that again and we can’t let you.”

 “You two…” He sighs and X-eins turns his attention back to the road. “I will do what I can for you two. I refuse to believe you’d ever turn on your friends willingly.”

 “Isn’t it just joining you, anyway?” X-eins murmurs. “Isn’t this just what you wanted? H-neun on your side?”

 “X-”

 “You are both important to me,” A-drei snaps. “You just loved Cain so much you never would have considered it before. That’s how I know you’re not doing this willingly. That’s how I know it’s because something terrible happened. The only thing that could ever draw your gaze from Cain would be something earth shattering. Something that put H-neun’s life in danger or completely crushed your belief in Cain.”

 

 X-eins grits his teeth and focuses on the road, ignoring H-neun and A-drei as best he can. It doesn’t bother him. Really. It doesn’t. He and H-neun are fine. What does it matter what H-neun did with who before they got together?

 “X,” H-neun says softly. X-eins starts at H-neun’s voice in his ear and his hands on his shoulder. He almost swerves across the road. “I promised you, didn’t I? I’m yours.” His lips brush his cheek softly and X-eins bats him away. “Even A-drei knew back then, I’ve only ever belonged to you.”

 “You never did tell me why you’ve kidnapped me,” A-drei snaps. H-neun sits back with a soft chuckle. “Or where you’re taking me.”

 “Confidential, A-drei,” X-eins replies.

 “On both parts,” H-neun agrees. “Let’s get going, huh, X? You drive like a granny, just like always.”


	12. Ghost Lights

 They can’t travel all night. Much as they’d certainly love to. They are trained to work on low levels of sleep and up to near exhaustion, but this isn’t that sort of mission. And so they pull off the road, hiding in the trees and pull the weather worn tarp over bars of the 4x4.

 “It’s not too late to go back to the nice tavern with the busty barmaid,” H-neun says. “They had heating in there. And a proper bed.”

 “Shut up, Hano,” X-eins replies quietly, zipping up the tarp as H-neun picks up the blankets.

 Raiding the Dorssian forces, had been a good move. They have better supplies to go with better transport. Now H-neun doesn’t have to risk his shoulder and X-eins doesn’t have to carry the bag the entire time. H-neun had done a good enough job but he’d not been aiming for long term survival, or comfort. Just escaping. Now they have a lot better chance and a much better plan.

 H-neun is pouting up at him and X-eins smiles, moving into the back of the 4x4 with him. There’s a moment of silence before X-eins moves over H-neun, sitting astride his lap and cupping his face so he could kiss him lightly. H-neun’s arms wrap loosely around him, and X-eins can’t help thinking there’s something so romantic about it; sitting here in the dim light with H-neun, hands tangled loosely in H-neun’s soft hair as they share an easy, languid kiss. H-neun’s fingers dig into his hips and it’s certainly not unpleasant. Far from it in fact. There’s a breathtaking thrill with H-neun’s every touch, a fire that spreads to his fingertips and burns into the pit of his stomach.

 “X,” H-neun murmurs. “You’ll distract me from making our bed.”

 “Of course,” X-eins whispers. “How silly of me.”

 He goes to move off but H-neun draws him back gently. “I wasn’t complaining.”

 “Of course not,” he says softly. H-neun smiles and leans in, kissing him softly. “You’d never complain about one of my plans, would you?”

 “Never-”

 X-eins presses his fingers to H-neun’s lips as he leans in again. “Despite how often you you abandon those plans to engage in melee combat?”

 “What can I say?” H-neun laughs, kissing X-eins’ fingertips. “I like it when things get physical.”

 “I had noticed,” X-eins replies, running his hand slowly through H-neun’s hair in return. “You’re certainly rather incredible to watch when you get excited.”

 “You like watching me, huh?”

 “Your form is always impressive.”

 “My form, huh?” H-neun laughs softly. “Well, I’m right here for you to study up close and personal. You should take advantage of the situation while you can.”

 “I am the kind of man known to take advantage of any situation that presents itself,” X-eins murmurs, tracing the collar of H-neun’s shirt. “Isn’t that so? And you follow my every order just to make sure everyone’s satisfied.”

 “Nothing satisfies me more than making your every desire a reality, X,” he says, hands trailing down over X-eins’ thighs. “You always know how to use me best.”

 “Making use of you is my speciality,” he says, catching H-neun’s hands and pulling them away from such dangerou areas.  “And you know if you misbehave and displease me I will have to punish you just like before.”

 “You know I always enjoy a good punishment.”

 “You are a masochist of the highest order, no wonder you _enjoy_ being rejected by so many women,” X-eins teases, pushing him back to the seats. It’s not exactly comfortable. They’re both rather tall and the back seats of the 4x4 were not made for lying on. “Or hanging out with Q-vier so often.”

 “I date women, X,” H-neun huffs. “I only get rejected by a few of them. And Q-vier’s cute as long as he’s got his mouth shut, he’s a great lure.”

 “He always did make the best bait.”

 “He did. And I have no issues being a laid back masochist when I’ve got a sadistic control freak to keep me in line.”

 “Sadist? Me? You do keep saying that, don’t you?” He smiles and leans down, resting his forehead against H-neun’s. “If that’s what I am, I would be making you suffer a lot more.”

 He leans in slowly and captures H-neun’s mouth once more. H-neun yields instantly, laying back in the seats build more for practically than comfort, and X-eins’ rewards him with slowly deepening kisses. The chill and harshness of the world around them is completely forgotten with H-neun’s warmth. This is all happening so fast. X-eins only realised what he was feeling for H-neun days ago. And yet, it feels like this is such a natural extension of their relationship it’s been going on forever. It’s new and exciting at the same time as being safe and comforting and familiar. H-neun’s hands press against his back, encouraging X-eins closer against him. Of course, he’s more than happy to oblige; he pushes eagerly against him, rocking his hips into H-neun’s and is rewarded with his fingers gripping the back of his jacket desperately.

 

 X-eins draws back slowly and H-neun groans, clutching at his shoulders desperately. Glancing down turns out to be a bad idea. H-neun is gazing up at him completely flushed and breathing hard, eyes clouded with longing and need, body language completely vulnerable and open, sprawled out beneath him. X-eins bites his lip hard, the sight going south instantly.

 “Hano,” he whispers, voice embarrassingly strained and breathless. His chest is heaving and he’s suddenly very aware how hot his face is. “Hano, I…”

 H-neun shifts up onto one elbow, reaching up with the other hand, fingers tangling into X-eins’ hair and guiding him down. “Stop overthinking it, X. You and I-”

 “I am still here,” A-drei says suddenly. “Remember?”

 H-neun stops and X-eins frowns. Right. A-drei. X-eins sighs and sits back, leaving H-neun pouting back at him. How annoyingly pretty. Their little prince couldn’t have just stayed quiet and let them enjoy themselves, could he?

 “Don’t pout at me like that,” he warns softly. “I won’t be able to resist.”

 “Well, you’re revealing your secrets now,” H-neun replies.

 “I’m happy for you two, really,” A-drei says. “But please, stop.”

 “Ah, you’re ruining my fun, A-drei,” H-neuns mutters.

 “Hush, Hano,” X-eins says firmly, pressing his fingers to H-neun’s lips. He tries to ignore how good it is to see the flash of arousal in H-neun’s eyes at the command. It’s not easy. “You know our prince is well raised. He’s pure and innocent and shouldn’t be exposed to sure disgusting cardinal actions. After all, there was a time not so long ago when defiling our young prince would be tantamount to treason.”

 H-neun is definitely turning red, eyes growing glassy once more. “Damn it, X. Why the hell do even your passive aggressive lectures have to be that hot?”

 “Because you’re incredibly easy to please. And I know exactly how to make the most of your every weakness.”

 “ _Fuck_ ,” H-neun groans, pushing his hips up once more.

 X-eins nearly finds himself grinding down against him once more but manages to keep control and shifts off of him. “Go. You take first watch. I’m going to sleep. You and A-drei can chat over the sort of thing that concerns royalty.”

 “You really are awful to me,” he says, but gets up and heads to the driver’s seat anyway. “I’ll wake you up around midnight or something. Sleep well.”

 “Night,” X-eins murmurs.

 He lays in the blankets on the uncomfortable seats, pulling the blankets over him and listening to A-drei and H-neun in the front seat. They chat half heartedly and quietly and soon he starts to drift off. He wants to listen to the pair of them. He wants to know just how far things have gone. For all H-neun said it was just a fumble and kiss in a bathroom for their cover, the recording had definitely been after an intimate event and was definitely in some kind of bed.

 

 It’s nearly an hour of light dozing before they finally seem content that he’s asleep enough that they can talk freely.

 “He’s more bitter than ever about my being a royal, isn’t he?” A-drei says softly. “Has something happened? Is it just because he doesn’t have to keep up the act like he did while investigating me?”

 “You know X hates royalists,” H-neun replies. H-neun used to hate them too. “When you were just a prince who had decided to fight with us, it was fine. But discovering you’ve been leading them all this time, and Kriemhild too, it’s hard on him that the people he trusted were leading the royalists. I think it’s even harder for him that I was working with you. I guess, he sorta sees it as you guys making me break my promise or something.”

 “That’s the thing though,” he says. “X-eins is most certainly not a royalists and neither are you. I would have known. Just like I would have known if you were supplying us with military secrets. Something else happened, didn’t it?”

 “Kriemhild and I were just working together to investigate Cain.”

 There’s a moment of silence before A-drei sighs. “That royal jab-”

 “Don’t. I just used the papers to get out of an ID check.”

 “You haven’t told him still,” A-drei says. X-eins frowns in the darkness. More secrets. Why does H-neun have so many secrets still? “Hano, you should-”

 “No,” H-neun says firmly. “If I didn’t have to bear this burden I’d be a lot happier. I don’t want to put it on X-eins’ shoulders too.”

_Idiot,_ X-eins thinks, closing his eyes, _complete and utter idiot._ He wants to share the burden with H-neun. He wants to help him. He doesn’t care what it is, he wants to help him anyway he can. He wants to be someone he can rely on.

 “It’s fine, I’m starting to forget anyway,” he says quietly. “I’m not like you, A-drei. I can’t handle it like you can.” Then he laughs. “Oh, he could also be kinda mad because he knows about our thing.”

 “Thing? It was hardly a thing,” A-drei replies. “Is that what that jab was about? Doesn’t he know you’re mad about him? You always have been.”

 “Well, I do keep trying to tell him that. Just like you and L-elf.”

 “Stop bringing that up!”

 “You never deny it,” H-neun laughs.

 “I- I don’t- It’s not like that,” A-drei argues.

 “‘ _It’s not like I like him or anything_ ’,” he teases, switching to JIORan momentarily. “You really a proper tsundere, A-drei.”

 “You enjoyed JIORan culture far too much. I’m glad you’ll fit in with the students so well. I assume that is your plan.”

 “Can’t tell you that,” H-neun replies. “Try to get some sleep.”

 “Where are we going?” A-drei says. “What do you want from me? I’m no use as a hostage and I can’t see any other use.”

 “Can’t tell you that either.”

 “X-eins hasn’t told you, has he?”

 “Your faith is touching. Go to sleep.”

 

 There’s a long moment of silence and X-eins thinks it might be ok to rest, since they don’t seem to be going into conversations of importance any longer, but then A-drei sighs again.

 “Why do you and X-eins hate royalists so much? It’s so much more than just loyalty to Dorssia and hanging off Cain’s every word, isn’t it? Especially give your position-”

 “A-drei, you and, sort of, L-elf are our friends and we love you,” H-neun says firmly. “You always stood by us and never put the team in danger to further your cause. Loyalty to your friends is more important than anything else. More than any cause. You understood that. I don’t know if L-elf did. But that is why I never said anything about you. I imagine X-eins felt the same, that’s why he never turned you in either.”

 “And yet, you’ve betrayed Dorssia?”

 “Weren’t you listening? I’ve betrayed nothing. My loyalty never belonged to Dorssia.”

 A-drei laughs softly. “You really did only ever have one master, didn’t you? Even if he never realised it. That doesn’t answer why you hate royalists so much though. You two were always even more aggressively hard line against them than Q-vier. I always wondered why...”

 “Don’t ask questions like that, A-drei,” H-neun says softly. “The answer will just bring you more pain than peace.”

 “You really are a mystery, Hano,” A-drei sighs. “Even after so long.”

 “So people keep saying. Go to sleep, your highness.”

 They fall into silence once more and X-eins closes his eyes. He should at least rest for now. Who knows when they’ll next get a good night’s sleep when they’re not only on the run, but have kidnapped the prince. X-eins might have something for a plan, but he’s not unaware of how dangerous the situation is.

 

 When H-neun wakes X-eins to take over the watch, A-drei looks to be completely asleep. X-eins is glad. He doesn’t want to end up having awkward conversations with A-drei. H-neun kisses him lightly, murmuring a soft goodnight before lying back on the seat to rest. X-eins is glad for the peace and quiet, even if it does make it harder to stay away. He’d enjoy H-neun’s company, but he has to rest.

 “If you want to be with him, I can keep watch,” A-drei says. “I won’t sleep much anyway. And I don’t want the two of you to be caught.”

 “Your our hostage, we can’t let you keep watch,” X-eins replies. “Go back to sleep.”

 “X-”

 “Go to sleep, A-drei.”

 “Some days I don’t know what Hano sees in you.” A-drei jolts suddenly with a yelp. “Hano!”

 “You don’t have to know what I see in him,” H-neun mumbles. “Just that he’s the most important thing in the world to me. I don’t really care if you approve or not.”

 “Don’t kick the chairs,” X-eins scolds. “And go to sleep.”

 “How about don’t kick the prince,” A-drei snaps.

 “You don’t like us reminding you that you’re prince,” H-neun replies.

 “Go to sleep,” X-eins says. “I don’t know what I see in you half the time either.”

 H-neun laughs, but that’s all for now. There’s silence once more, even if A-drei is scowling and obviously not impressed by the lack of answers. Never mind what A-drei wants. A-drei is a piece to use right now, rather than a friend. He can’t trust A-drei. He can’t trust anyone really. Even H-neun is keeping secrets from him.

 

 “Is he asleep?” A-drei says after a while. X-eins glances back at H-neun. He looks asleep. “You were listening earlier, weren’t you? Make sure he’s asleep or he might actually kill me for telling you.”

 “Hano,” X-eins calls softly. H-neun doesn’t stir. X-eins considers for a moment before closing his eyes. “Hano, A-drei’s asleep, I want to enjoy you for a while.” There’s still no response and X-eins glances over at A-drei. “He’s asleep. Tell me what you need to.”

 “What do you know about H-neun’s parents?”

 “Only what I saw of them when they came to see his grandfather,” he replies. “It’s not a lot. They looked like nice people. His grandfather was always nice. H-neun always told me about them when we were young. About life in the city. He said he lived in Dorssiana, I think. He says he doesn’t remember them anymore though. He doesn’t remember anything before coming to our town permanently.”

 A-drei nods a little. “And you never made the connection that he was sent out there just as tensions were starting to flare up?”

 “I assumed his parents wanted him out of the city when they noticed. Why wouldn’t any parent send their child away from danger? What are you getting at?”

 “Wen L-elf and I were just starting out, L-elf told me I should approach H-neun. That despite his attitude towards royalists, he might be sympathetic given his parents’ position. I didn’t get it either but he said it was worth testing the waters with him and L-elf is L-elf so I tried.” X-eins frowns and A-drei smiles awkwardly. “So, I talked to him about it. Obviously, I didn’t just come out and telling him everything, I just, prodded a little to see how he’d react.”

 “You’re not being overly clear, A-drei,” X-eins snaps. “What’s the problem?”

 “Well, he told me he’d ignore what I was getting at, but that if I ever mentioned his parents to anyone, especially you, I should make sure L-elf is watching my back.”  X-eins frowns. That doesn’t sound like H-neun at all. A-drei smiles back. “I don’t think I’ve ever been that scared of H-neun, to be quite honest. So, if you do decide to bring this up to him, you should probably make sure he’s thoroughly placated.”

 “That really doesn’t sound like H-neun. And what’s the actual problem with his parents?”

 “We’ve talked about it since, and he’s calmed down and we’ve chatted, but it’s still a prickly thing.” He frowns and X-eins wrinkles his nose, willing him to get on with it. “H-neun’s parents were elite soldiers too. They were attached to the royal family. The fought on the wrong side of military coup.”

 X-eins blinks slowly, struggling to take that in. H-neun’s parents were soldiers. His parents were part of the original royalist movement. He glances back at H-neun’s sleeping form in the darkness. No wonder H-neun was always so conflicted. And he’s kept this secret for so long. He must have known for years, if not the entire time. He frowns and glances back at H-neun once more. Suddenly, it all makes sense. Why H-neun was the most obvious suspect after F-sech and A-drei. Why everyone assumed he was the most likely traitor. Not just because he’s a bleeding heart, but because his military records will forever be tainted by the fact that he’s the son of royalists. A burden. H-neun had called it a burden. Now X-eins understands.  

 “I don’t know how L-elf found out this stuff,” A-drei says quietly. “He didn’t say and I didn’t ask, I found out most of it through Hano.”

 “I’ll… I’ll talk to him sometime,” X-eins says quietly. He frowns at A-drei. “Fine, ask one question and I’ll give you the direct answer.”

 

 A-drei watches X-eins silently for a moment, obviously considering his options before he nods. He knows it’s an important question. A-drei has only one chance to get a direct, honest answer in return for his information. He has to consider it carefully. To make sure he got the answer the needed most.

 “What happened?” A-drei says. “What happened to you two? I know you two didn’t betray Dorssia, so why?”

 X-eins frowns, pushes up his glasses as he considers. Well, he had promised a proper answer, hadn’t he? A-drei had put himself out there and told him what got H-neun so riled up. He supposes, answering is the least he can do.

 “Hano and I learnt things we weren’t supposed to,” he says at last. A-drei nods a little. “Cain… he’s not the man we thought he was. We at Karlstein, we’re not just being raised to be soldiers for Dorssia. We are…” He scowls, biting his lip hard. Doesn’t this all just sound absolutely insane? How is he supposed to explain all this to A-drei when he’s not entirely sure he believes it himself still. How does he explain to A-drei about these supernatural creatures? “We’re sacrifices.”

 A-drei blinks. “Sacrifices?”

 “There’s a group Cain is a part of or serves, I suppose the best way to describe it is a cult, they called themselves the Council of the 101.” A-drei nods a little. “They said they were the most powerful people in the world. Cain… Hano and I found out about it and because of that, we became a threat.”

 “Wait, you skipped a bit in the middle,” A-drei says firmly. “Like how you found out about it? What do you mean about sacrifices?”

 “I… I was chosen to be sacrificed by the council,” X-eins says after a moment. A-drei’s eyes widen and X-eins glances away, trying to figure out a rational way to explain this without proof of anything supernatural. “It was a ritual. Cain lured me there, he restrained me and held me there while they prepared to kill me.”

 “X… X, I’m so sorry…”

 “It’s nothing, I’m fine.” He sighs and closes his eyes. “But it was terrifying at the time, being so totally helpless. I don’t know what they were doing it for really but I was dying. I could feel myself dying and fading.” He sighs and shakes his head. This is all rather strange to be talking about it. “And then Hano turned up. He saved me. He shot them, pulled me away and we escaped.”

 

 There’s a heavy silence. Saying it aloud like that is strange. Explaining how they go into this mess. It’s not their fault. They’re in this situation because someone tried to kill them. Because someone decided it was their fate to die with the council. It’s not fair. They were good soldiers. They shouldn’t be in this position. This isn’t fair at all!

 A-drei opens his mouth, obviously about to ask more questions but X-eins shakes his head and he shuts his mouth again. He can’t tell him anymore. He can’t and won’t say anything more. He sighs and lowers his head.

 “I can’t help you two at all, can I?” A-drei says at last.

 “What you’ve done so far is more than enough, A-drei,” X-eins replies. “You’ve done everything you can. This is our fight and ours alone. Getting involved will just get you in more trouble. You mean a lot of Hano. It would hurt him too much to see you killed.”

 “But not you?” X-eins wrinkles his nose, glaring out the window, not overly interesting in giving an answer either way. “I’m sorry, if you feel I’ve betrayed your trust, X-eins. But please, understand I never meant for you two to get hurt. I wanted my friends by my side. I didn’t want anyone to get hurt.” He sighs and X-eins jerks his hand away as A-drei’s fingers brush his. “X-”

 “Don’t. Traitors are traitors. It’s only how much H-neun cares for you that’s stopped me turning you in.”

 “I’m sorry that’s how you feel,” A-drei says. “And if it’s your love for H-neun that’s kept me safe this far then I am incredibly grateful for that too. I won’t deny that I’ve approached H-neun subtly about joining our cause-”

 “H-neun would never betray Dorssia-”

 “Firstly, he already has.” X-eins narrows his eyes furiously, not looking at A-drei. “And secondly, H-neun never had any loyalty to Dorssia.”

 “Stop it-”

 “He never care about anything but you. His loyalty was never to anyone but you.” X-eins just closes his eyes and shakes his head. “X-”

 “Just go to sleep so I can keep watch in peace.”

 A-drei sighs and nods. He’s given A-drei the answers he promised in return for H-neun’s secret. He doesn’t feel like talking to a royalist traitor any longer. He turns away, gazing out into the dark woods. Cain has found them everywhere. He knows where they are always. If he wants to capture them now or wants to punish them for their interaction with A-drei, he can. They’re completely helpless really. They’ve only got this far because Cain considers them useful for capturing L-elf.

 And just as he’s thinking it, there’s a flash of green in the woods. X-eins reaches slowly for his pistol. Not that it’ll do any good. His fingers tremble slightly.

 “Is everything ok, X?” A-drei says.

 “Fine,” X-eins replies, glaring out into the now dark woods. “Just thought I saw something.”

 “Let me have a gun,” he says. “I’d protect you and H-neun.”

 X-eins shakes his head. “It’s nothing. There’s nothing there.”

 A-drei nods slowly and closes his eyes to rest. He sighs and shakes his head. He’s losing it. He’s letting his worries get to him. He’s starting to see things. There’s no way the Magius would be tracking them them this far, right? Cain is trusting them to do this on their own. He’s making them do this alone. To live or die on their own merit.

 

 It’s hours of silence and there’s only so much X-eins can do to keep himself interested. He sighs and closes his eyes for a moment. It’s three. He can’t wait for it to be morning. It’s tempting to drive on now, but they’ll be far more noticeable moving at night.

 As X-eins watches the world outside, he’s sure he sees movement. His fingers drum nervously against his pistol. He’s sure it’s nothing. He’s sure it’s just his own mind playing tricks on him. There’s nothing out here in the woods except wildlife.

 There’s a green glow from between the trees. X-eins frowns, narrowing his eyes. A figure in the darkness. He pulls back against the chair, slowly bringing up his pistol. He’s sure that’s a figure. A glow. A Magius. Maybe Cain. Maybe not. Cain can’t slip away to investigate them constantly, can he?

 There are other figures the more X-eins looks. He's struggling to breathe calmly as he realises how surrounded they are. Because they’d been in contact with A-drei again? Because he’d told him what happened? There’s no way Cain could know that already, is there?

 

 “X?” X-eins gasps and jolts, his pistol swinging around to face the bright green glow behind him. “Hey, X. It’s me. It’s me.”

 “H-Hano?” he whispers, slowly lowering his pistol. H-neun. It’s H-neun’s beautiful green eyes rather than any threat. H-neun smiles, hands wrapping gently around his and lowering his pistol gently. “Hano… I’m sorry… You startled me.”

 “I noticed,” H-neun replies softly. X-eins tucks away his pistol once more and H-neun smiles, lifting X-eins’ fingers gently to hi lips. “Come here, X. Lemme help you relax.”

 X-eins nods a little, helpless to resist, and let’s H-neun draw him into the back once more. He’s supposed to be keeping watch but he wants H-neun’s comfort more than anything right now. He closes his eyes as H-neun’s arms wrap around him. It’s so easy to relax again as he rubs his back, peppering light kisses over his throat. As if there’s nothing wrong in the world. Just the two of them together once more.

 H-neun guides X-eins’ lips to his and it’s absolutely perfect. For all they find amusement in X-eins’ orders and H-neun’s obvious enjoyment of them, there’s nothing better than quiet, affectionate kisses. Their hands slide slowly over one another’s bodies, tender and gentle and without any lust. Just taking comfort in each other’s loving touch.

 “You should be resting,” X-eins whispers, drawing back slowly.

 “I am resting,” H-neun replies, reaching up and stroking his cheek lightly. “Nothing relaxes me more than spending time with you.”

 X-eins smiles softly, gazing down at him. H-neun’s warm green eyes glow softly in the darkness as he smiles back. Glowing? After a moment staring, completely lost by the development, X-eins realises it’s not H-neun’s eyes glowing. They’re just reflecting the light. His stomach churns. A green light. Coming in through the window.

 “X?” H-neun whispers.

 Doesn’t he notice? Doesn’t he see it? How could H-neun not notice a green glow in the middle of the night? There aren’t even other vehicles around to blame it on? The glow grows brighter and X-eins swallows thickly.

 “X, what’s wrong?”

 X-eins lifts his head slowly towards the source of the glow.

 A bony hand slams against the window, eyes blazing an eerie green under a black hood, sharp, dearly fangs flashing in the darkness.

 X-eins jerks back in the darkness. His back hits the roll cage, a terrified cry slipping out as he stares back at the Magius reaching for him. Why doesn’t H-neun see it? Why is he just staring at him?

 

 “X-eins?” A-drei’s voice cuts through the haze and H-neun cups his cheeks. “What’s wrong with him?”

 “I dunno,” H-neun snaps. “X? Hey, X, c’mon. You can hear me right?”

 X-eins grasps H-neun’s hands on his cheek. Why didn’t he see it? Why didn’t he notice the glowing light? Why’s it just him? Because that thing wanted him? Wanted his body? Is it haunting him now? Inside his mind?

 “Hey, hey, come on,” H-neu says gently, stroking his cheeks gently. “It’s ok. Its ok I promise. Whatever it is, it’s ok. I’m here. Nothing’s gonna happen to you while here.”

 “Hano,” he whispers weakly and H-neun wraps him tightly in his arms. “I thought- I thought I saw-” He shakes his head and H-neun sighs, petting his hair lightly. X-eins sighs, leaning into his shoulder struggling to breathe deeply. “I thought I saw him. The Magius.”

 “Who?” A-drei says.

 “Nothing,” H-neun says. He sighs and holds X-eins close, rubbing his back and petting his hair. “It’s nothing. It’s just the light playing tricks on you, X. You’re tired and stressed. You need to sleep more.”

 “I’m fine,” X-eins replies. “I’m fine. Just a trick of the light.”

 “It’s ok,” he murmurs. “I’m not letting you go. I won’t let anyone take you from me.” He kisses his hair lightly and X-eins grips his shirt tightly. “I promised, didn’t I? We both did. Nothing is going to happen to you.”

 “I feel like I might be missing something,” A-drei says quietly.

 “It’s nothing,” he replies. X-eins sighs and closes his eyes, leaning heavily against H-neun. “It’s nothing to worry about. Just go back to sleep, A-drei. X and I will be fine.”

 “Like I can go to sleep when X is like this,” he snaps.

 “I’m fine,” X-eins says, slowly straightening himself up and rubbing his eyes. “I’m ok, really. Just a trick of the light, right?”

 “Yeah, of course,” H-neun says gently. “You’re just sleepy. You always get a bit silly when you’re tired.” X-eins nods and H-neun smiles back at him before learning in and pressing their lips together softly. “Come on. I’ll stay up with you. Help keep you from getting tired.”

 X-eins nods. H-neun will help him relax, as always. He just needs to relax and calm down. “Thanks you, Hano.”

 H-neun nods and smiles back, letting X-eins lean into his shoulder once more.

 

 Just as they’re all starting to relax and recover from the shock once more, the car jolts with a slam against the bonet. X-eins stiffens, staring into the empty darkness. H-neun’s arms are tight around him and A-drei is stiff and tense.

 “Guys,” A-drei whispers. “Can I come and sit in the back with you?”

 “Y-yeah,” H-neun replies. “Get back here.”

 A-drei doesn’t wait long. He hurries into the back and slips between them under the blankets. The three of them huddle together, X-eins even putting aside that A-drei has come between them, watching the darkness around them. There are lights in the darkness. Glowing green lights. Magius. What are they doing? Trying to scare them? Why? They hand A-drei his pistol once more, even knowing it will do no good, and wait in awkward silence for morning.


	13. Interrogation

 “We should get moving,” H-neun sighs.

 “I know,” X-eins replies. “But last night has me on edge.”

 H-neun nods. They’re sitting on the bonnet of the car, watching the grey sky through the leaves above them. A-drei has finally fallen asleep after their scare last night, but they’ve yet to move on. They can’t explain it to A-drei, of course, no matter how suspicious he is. They can’t tell him the truth.

 “A-drei is suspicious,” X-eins sighs. “We need to figure out what we’re actually going to tell him.”

 “You didn’t tell him last night?” H-neun replies. He glances over and H-neun leans back against the windscreen. “What? You’re allowed to eavesdrop and I’m not?” He catches X-eins’ collar and pulls him down so X-eins is leaning over him, their lips nearly touching. “You really thought I’d fall for something as obvious as _‘our prince is asleep let’s have some fun’_? Please. How pathetically desperate do you think I am? You should give me a little more credit.”

 “You’re not just a pretty face, hmm?” X-eins smiles and draws him into a gentle kiss. “But you are a very pretty face.”

 “I’m glad you think so. Let’s get back to the topic at hand though.”

 “Right,” X-eins sighs, leaning back against the windscreen next to him. “We’re going to have to figure out how explain this stuff to A-drei and what they want from us.”

 “Yeah, I don’t get it,” H-neun says, shaking his head. “Aren’t we supposed to be doing this _for_ them? We’re supposed to be doing this for Cain, right? We had a deal.”

 “I don’t know.”

 “Hey, you know what we were saying, about us running out of money,” he says. X-eins tilts his head. “Let’s find a pool table and you can win us a fortune.”

 X-eins narrows his eyes. “There is a difference between taking money from you and Q-vier-”

 “And half the rest of the academy,” H-neun says. X-eins narrows his eyes. “Not to mention half the crews of every ship we’ve ever been on.”

 “I’m not taking money of civilians.”

 The fact that X-eins is enough good with a cue that he can take money off his friends and crewmates, does not mean he’s going to take money from civilians unless absolutely necessary. Apparently the skills that made him a sniper of note also translated into games. Although, X-eins would have thought any of the Karlstein graduates should have been a good enough shot to work it out. It’s basic physics. All about trajectory and really not that different to working with bullets. Apparently X-eins is just better at it than others.

 “We’re avoiding the subject,” X-eins sighs, after a moment. H-neun nods. “Why are the Magius tracking us and trying to intimidate us? We’re supposed to be on their side, so why?”

 “I don’t know,” H-neun says, closing his eyes. “Maybe a warning because of A-drei? Why’s he warning us off A-drei anyway?”

 “That is a very good question,” he says. X-eins frowns. “If we’re really being allowed to succeed or fail on our own, why is he putting these rules into place?”

 “Why have we got A-drei anyway?”

 “Trust me,” X-eins replies. H-neun pouts and X-eins smiles, leans over and kisses him softly once more. “I’ve warned you about pouting like that.”

 H-neun smiles back and returns the kiss. They’re starting to get distracted from the matter at hand again, leaning into rapidly deepening kisses. They’re ignoring the issue. Neither wants to admit they’re completely lost and aren’t entirely sure what to do.

 

 “No really though,” H-neun whispers, “why?”

 “For exactly what he’s about to ask,” X-eins replies.

 A-drei taps on the windscreen and they glance down at him. H-neun scowls a little and A-drei moves over to roll down the window, leaning out to call to them.

 “I need to call Kriemhild. She’ll be worrying. You guys have a phone, right?”

 “In the glove box,” X-eins replies. “I assume I don’t need to warn you not to say too much.”

 “I know,” he sighs, rolling the window up and searching the glovebox. “I’ll be good.”

 “Why are we letting him call home?” H-neun says quietly. “What’s that got to do with anything?”

 “Do you remember our last conversation with Kriemhild?” X-eins replies.

 H-neun frowns for a moment before grinning. “You threatened me, threatened her, hung up on her, then kissed me.”

 “Best decision of my life,” he says softly.

 H-neun’s cheeks flush and X-eins smiles, leaning in and kissing him again. He means it. Deciding to be with H-neun like this really is the best decision he’s made in a long time. H-neun’s arms slip around him and X-eins leans in further, putting his weight over him and almost forgetting the world around them.

 Almost.

 “Hush,” he whispers as he draws back, pressing his fingers lightly to H-neun’s lips. Of course, his choice of response is to simple lick along to length of X-eins’ fingers instead, sending shivers bolting down his spine, in a move very obviously calculated to get a reaction. “Hano, listen.”

 “-not hurt me, no,” A-drei is saying. H-neun’s eyes widen as he realises and X-eins smiles, stroking his cheek gently. “No, I think they’re more interested in each other than listening in right now.”

 “You’re using me as a cover,” H-neun whispers and X-eins presses a placating kiss to his lips once more. “You really do fight dirty.”

 “I’ll be sure to show you just how dirty sometime,” X-eins replies.

 H-neun goes absolutely scarlet and it’s incredibly satisfying. “I hate you.”

 “I’ll make it up to you later.”

 “X?” A-drei says softly. “No, he’s been fine. A little bit grumpy but that’s not unusual given the situation I’d imagine.” There’s a pause and X-eins knows that A-drei’s gaze in on them. He stays with his weight over H-neun, not giving him any reason to think they’re interested in his conversation over each other. Although, it is rather hard not to focus on H-neun over A-drei with his hand sliding over his thigh. “No, H-neun’s fine. They’re getting along better than ever.”

 “Better than ever,” X-eins whispers and H-neun grins. “Putting it mildly.”

 “You must have really worried her,” he replies. “Or she really loves me.”

 “Who wouldn’t? However, I am going to need to play the bad guy for a bit, and I’m going to need you to play along.”

 “Whatever you need,” H-neun replies.

 

 X-eins nods and slips off the bonnet, moving around and opening up the car door. A-drei glances up at him and frowns. “Hang on, Kriemhild.”

 “I’m afraid not,” X-eins says. He catches A-drei’s bound hands and pulls him from the car, handing him off to H-neun to hold as he takes the phone. “I think that’s enough.”

 “X, Hano, what-”

 “Hush, your highness,” he says softly as H-neun claps his hand over A-drei’s mouth. He’s sure A-drei can escape if he so desires, they’re not making much effort to keep him, but he doesn’t. “Much better.” He lifts the phone, unsurprised to hear Kriemhild snapping something. “Hello again, Kriemhild. I assume that’s enough to prove that A-drei is alive and well.”

 “X-eins,” Kriemhild snaps. “What do you intend to do with A-drei?”

 “You were making some rather unkind threats, Kriemhild,” he replies. “That you might decide not to help up. So, we had to take a little insurance. You refuse to help us, and you can say goodbye to your little prince.”

 A-drei’s eyes widen and H-neun does a very good job keeping his face passive. Perhaps he simply knows him well enough to know it’s not a threat he wants to carry out. It would hurt H-neun too much to ever hurt A-drei.

 “H-neun would never allow you to-”

 “H-neun does as he’s told,” X-eins replies, reaching over to caress his cheek lighty. A-drei watches the entire time, obviously uncertain of what to make of this new development. “Of course, I had to make sure he was thoroughly punished for his little indiscretion, but we’re at peace again now. He’s realised his mistake. He’s remembered where his loyalty belongs.”

 “I swear, X-eins, if you’re hurt H-neun or A-drei-”

 “I’m a son of Karlstein. You of all people should know that I am well versed in ways to punish someone without leaving a mark.” He smiles and A-drei stares up at them as H-neun leans into his touch and his eyes soften. “Hano was so easy to break. To make completely and utterly mine. I don’t think he wanted to fight me. I think he might have wanted me to take absolute control of him all this time. That his betrayal was nothing more than cry for attention. To make me see how much he wanted me to make him mine.”

 There’s a moment of silence and A-drei twists weakly in H-neun’s grasp, as if just testing how firm his hold is; his muffled call sounding a lot like he’s calling to H-neun. Of course, from where he is, he can’t see the haziness in those lovely green eyes. Honestly, he’d be a little more guilty about treating H-neun like this if he didn’t obviously enjoy it.

 After a moment, Kriemhild sighs. Resignation and acceptance. He’s glad. He’s won.

 “Let me speak to H-neun,” she says at last. “I want proof H-neun is alright before I agree to anything more.”

 “Interesting,” X-eins says quietly. “Knowing about A-drei isn’t enough for you. Tell me, Kriemhild, just what is your interest in my H-neun really?”

 “Let me speak to him, or there’s no deal.”

 “As you wish.” He leans in, kissing H-neun softly before handing over the phone with a whispered warning. “Don’t fall for her charms again.”

 “I can handle it,” H-neun replies, returning the kiss rather heatedly. “After that display, I don’t think I’m going to be thinking about anyone else for weeks.” X-eins smiles a little only for H-neun to pull him into another breathtaking kiss. “You’re unbelievably hot.”

 “Talk to Kriemhild,” he says firmly, pushing his shoulder.

 

 He takes A-drei, pushing him back into the passenger seat of the car, watching H-neun walk off on the phone with Kriemhild. A-drei is glaring up at him and X-eins smiles coldly as if A-drei is just another royalist to hunt and not a former dear friend.

 “I thought you and Hano-”

 “Oh, don’t worry about that,” X-eins replies. “It is mutual. There’s nothing untoward going on there. We had spoken about our feelings for one another before Kriemhild had her concerns.”

 “Then what was that?” A-drei snaps.

 “H-neun working with you royalists is an insult to every promise we’ve ever made,” he says. “It’s a mistake that needed to be punished and corrected before it became too deeply ingrained. He won’t make the same mistake again. He is beyond your reach, and Kriemhild’s, now. I will never allow him to be ensnared by you again.”

 A-drei stares up at him and X-eins turns back to watching H-neun leaning against a tree a little way off as he chats on the phone. They really need to get going, but the Magius really have shaken them. A-drei sighs and leans into his seat.

 “I refuse to believe you’ve changed so much in such a short space of time.” X-eins pushes up his glasses. “And I won’t believe that you’ve always been like this. What’s going on, X?”

 “You are annoyingly naive, your highness,” X-eins says.

 A-drei opens his mouth to reply but H-neun is already making his way over. He hands the phone back, pressing close against him and letting X-eins wrap his arm around him. He breathes heavily against X-eins’ shoulder, murmuring softly about how hard it was and X-eins strokes his hair in return. He knows. He knows it was hard. He hates asking H-neun to act like this, but right now, personal feelings for anyone but each other are a liability. Anyone could be a Magius. Anyone could be working against them, or at least be twisting them to their own purposes. Paranoid, perhaps, but a special forces soldier did not live this long unless they aired on the side of extreme caution when it came to who they trusted.

 “Satisfied, Kriemhild?” X-eins says. “H-neun and A-drei are both absolutely fine. As am I, although, that doesn’t seem to bother you so much.”

 “What did you do to him?” Kriemhild snaps. X-eins hums curiously. What had H-neun said? “He didn’t ask me out once. He didn’t even flirt with me. How can you call that fine?”

 X-eins smiles, kissing H-neun’s temple lightly. “It seems like he’s perfectly behaved to me. Didn’t I warn you? I told you I would make sure he never thought of betrayal again. He’s learnt his lesson.”

 “Your scorn over me supposedly using my wiles to trap H-neun, and yet it seems you are not above doing the same, X-eins.”

 “I’m not entirely sure what you’re accusing me of, Kriemhild, but I am from Karlstein,” he replies. “I’m not really above anything to get my job done. And that job is currently to protect what I love. I will do whatever it takes. Please understand, Kriemhild, this is nothing particularly personal. I respect you as a soldier, and as a person. You’ve simply chosen a position and loyalty that clashes with mine, that makes you an enemy. Someone I will not hesitate to go through to ensure H-neun’s safety.”

 “Even going so far?” Kriemhild hisses. “Even going so far as to break your partner’s mind to keep control over him?”

 “To keep him safe.”

 “If that’s what you need to tell yourself.”

 “I think we’re done here if that’s the tone you’re going to take,” X-eins says. “Please, remember my warning, Kriemhild. H-neun and I have both agreed that we will not be captured, do not doubt that I will carry out my threats against your prince too.”

 “Did H-neun agree to that before or after your broke his mind?”

 “Goodbye, Kriemhild.”

 He hangs up and tosses the phone onto the seat, A-drei staring up at them. H-neun’s arms wrap tightly around him, holding him close in silence reassurance. He doesn’t want to burn these bridges, but he will do whatever it takes to protect H-neun. Anything.

 

 “I’m sorry,” H-neun whispers against his jaw. “I don’t know what your plan is, but I trust you to have a plan, and I know this must be hurting you too.”

 “We’ve got to get moving,” X-eins say, stepping away.

 “What is going on with you two?!” A-drei snaps as they move around. H-neun shoves A-drei into the back and the pair sit in the front once more. Now more lingering and hesitating. They’ve got to move. “H-neun?! X-eins?! Talk to me!”

 “A-drei,” H-neun says quietly as they move off. “I have proof of your involvement with the royalists. If you turn us in once we release you, I will use it.”

 “I won’t. It’s not like there’s anything to tell anyway. You’ll be long gone before I can get anyone to wherever you release me and everyone already knows you’re on the run. Why won’t you two trust me?”

 “Trusting isn’t an option right now,” X-eins replies as they pull onto the road. “How well did you get to know Kriemhild, Hano?”

 “Not well enough to say no,” H-neun says. “I mean, no better than we thought we knew Cain. You really think-”

 “I don’t know,” he says, shaking his head. “I just know that I don’t know how to handle all this. It’s not logical or rational. It’s all beyond my understanding. We don’t know their limits or their power or how deep their control goes. We don’t know who to trust or who’s working with them or for them-”

 “Guys,” A-drei snaps. They glance back at him. “Guys, talk to me, please.” His hands brush H-neun’s arm lightly and X-eins wants to smack him away. “There’s something more about this Council, isn’t there? You’re not telling me something, what is it? Please. I want to help. I know you two are acting like this for a reason.”

 “Ok, let’s just think a minute,” X-eins sighs, focusing on the road ahead. “What _do_ we know about them? Rather than sticking on what we don’t.”

 “Fine,” he says softly. “Ignore me.”

 “Well,” H-neun says. “We know the most important guys in Dorssia are on their side.”

 “Do we? Cain being with them implies they’ve been working in the military, but not behind the coup, unless indirectly, given it’s been ten years since he was taken.”

 “Taken?” A-drei says.

 They ignore him and H-neun frowns. “You remember saying I never actually told you what happened when I was there?”

 “Yes and it still annoys me that you’re not saying anything,” X-eins replies.

 “It was the Fuhrer.”

 “Wait,” A-drei snaps. “Are you saying that all of Dorssia is controlled by this council? Isn’t that all the more reason why you should be on my side?”

 X-eins frowns. “And he…”

 “Yeah,” H-neun mutters.

 “He what?” A-drei snaps. “What aren’t you telling me?” He growls in frustration and leans back on the seats. “Guys, I really do just want to help. Tell me.”

 “You’ll have to tell me more later, Hano.” H-neun nods slowly. X-eins sighs and tilts his head. “So, Dorssia is completely under their control. What else?”

 “Can I at least help with some input?” The pair glance back at him. “You guys are looking for oddities, right? Things that might add up to something suspicious?”

 “Fine. What?”

 “Cain piloted a Valvrave,” A-drei says.

 “Yeah, I saw,” H-neun says. “That’s what got me seriously investigating him. I mean he’s always been beyond human understanding but that was just…”

 “I’ve seen the transcripts of the ARUS transmissions we were monitoring,” he explains. “When they tried to put a pilot in the red Valvrave he was… liquified inside his suit…” H-neun pulls a face and X-eins frowns. “Only the students can pilot the Valvraves. So why could Cain?”

 They glance at each other and X-eins frowns. A-drei makes a good point. Why could Cain pilot a Valvrave if only the children at the school could? They had been warned not to attempt piloting the Valvraves when they were sent to the academy, just to secure them. Cain had always known that the Valvraves were dangerous to them.

 X-eins taps the steering wheel nervously, trying to work it out. Does that translate into a school of Magius? But then, why would they be trying to wipe them out? A rebel faction? Or, given the Magius’ propensity for healing, was Cain just immune to whatever it was that killed the ARUS pilot?

 

 “Somehow, that’s only really complicated the matter further,” H-neun sighs.

 “But I think it was a helpful bit of information,” X-eins says. “I’m just not sure how it helps. It potentially links the council and the students.”

 “So this situation with L-elf is something to do with this council too?” A-drei sighs. “Maybe if you’d tell me whatever it is you’re holding back I could help.”

 Suddenly, their phone is ringing. Cain is the only one who calls that phone. Probably the only one who knows the number.  A-drei frowns at them as H-neun picks up the phone to answer. He doesn’t really care how much it bothers A-drei that they’re keeping secrets. It’s safer like this.

 “Oh,” H-neun laughs. “You’re not who were expecting.” X-eins glances over. “How did you get this number? This is supposed to be encrypted.” He sighs and kicks his legs up onto the dashboard, ignoring X-eins glaring. “Would that be the same little witch who hacked my drill?”

 “Is that L-elf?” A-drei snaps. “You guys are in contact with L-elf?”

 “Well, yes, the poison gas was a little excessive, but that’s not my fault, there was no need to try to kill me,” he says. X-eins rolls his eyes. “Ah, Kriemhild’s overreacting, I’m fine.” There’s a pause and H-neun frowns, glancing over suspiciously. “Is that why he’s doing it?”

 Typical L-elf, reads the situation easily and is needlessly blunt about it all. X-eins doesn’t need L-elf explaining all his plans like they’re the most obvious thing in the world. L-elf is one of the most frustrating people to work with.

 “Ah, whatever,” H-neun sighs. “You’re already know all this so I’m not going to just confirm it all for you. Whatever you’ve predicted or assessed the situation to be, you’re probably right. You usually are.”

 

 H-neun grabs a map from the glove compartment and a pen, plotting out a course, no doubt under L-elf’s careful guidance. A-drei leans over, watching the route carefully. Not that it’ll do him any good to know where they’re going.

 “Don’t worry,” H-neun says with a soft smile. “You have a deal. As long as you keep your word, we’ll keep ours.” H-neun sighs and glares down at the phone. “He is so rude.”

 “What did he say?” A-drei snaps, not even waiting a moment. “What’s going on?”

 H-neun ignores him, folding the map and handing it over to X-eins to locate them and their location. “Can you drive and read?”

 “Of course,” X-eins replies. “I wouldn’t trust your map reading skills anyway.”

 “Thanks. We’re going to leave A-drei there,” H-neun says.

 “No,” A-drei argues. “You’re not leaving me anywhere, I’m coming with you two. I want to help you through this. You’re obviously in some kind of danger and trapped in something out of your depth. Let me help you in anyway I can. Even if I’m of most use to you as a hostage, I want to stay with you and see this through with you. We’re supposed to be a team.”

 “Hano,” X-eins snaps as H-neun opens his mouth. He shuts it again instantly. “Playing up to H-neun’s obvious weakness for his team isn’t going to get you anywhere while I’m here, A-drei. I won’t let you take advantage of him.”

 “I know, X,” H-neun murmurs. “You really don’t need to keep reminding me. I’m not going to let you down.”

 “Hano?” he says softly, laying his hands against his arm again. “Please, he’s not really controlling you like he said, is he? I’m sure this isn’t right. You two aren’t like this. Talk to me. Stop locking me out. I know you two are lying and acting like this for a reason, I just can't figure out why.”

 X-eins frowns a little, glancing at H-neun. He doesn’t really like that tone.Perhaps it’s simply H-neun keep up appearance, playing along that X-eins really does have control of him, but it feels strange. Like X-eins has does something wrong trying to protect him. He doesn’t really care if he makes H-neun hate him, as long as he’s safe, but he does want to upset him if he can help it. He doesn’t want to fight with him again.

 “Sorry,” he says after a moment. “You’re right. You’ve come this far with me, most of this has been your doing. I should trust you more.”

 “You get antsy when you’re not in control,” H-neun says with a soft smile. “I expect you to get snappy in situations like this.”

 

 X-eins nods a little. A-drei has sat forward again, glancing between them. “Alright, let me try another way. You’ve already proven that I’m a viable hostage. That makes letting me go releasing a valuable asset. If they’ve already given in one to ensure my safety, they will again.”

 “They’ll stop believing we’ll keep our word,” he replies and X-eins nods. “They’ll mount a rescue attempt or give up saving you.”

 “Maybe, but you could at least get a little more out of me,” A-drei replies. “It doesn’t make any sense to just release me.”

 “You must be the only hostage I’ve ever met who wants to stay a hostage,” X-eins sighs. A-drei wrinkles his nose. “No, A-drei.”

 “What’s wrong with wanting to help you two in anyway I can?” he murmurs, shaking his head. “You can’t possibly understand how helpless I feel right now. I can do nothing to help my family who’s locked away held prisoner, L-elf is now an enemy for reasons I can’t possibly understand, you two are on the run and involved in something deadly and now you’re telling me it’s all being controlled by some cult council. And I can’t _do anything_ . So please, _please_ , give me someway I can help the situation at all.”

 It’s a struggle not to give into such a heartfelt plea. H-neun closes his eyes and X-eins focuses on the road. He does like A-drei as a person, even if things have put them at odds recently. He’s as dedicated to the team as H-neun. He understands. He wants to protect his friends and his team. He’s sure in the same position, H-neun would be pleading for a way to help as well. He would do anything to protect his friends. But they say nothing and A-drei sighs heavily, laying back on the seats, eyes closed.

 “I hate you two so much right now,” he whispers hoarsely.

 They still don’t answer. H-neun is biting his lip hard and X-eins’s nails dig into the plastic wheel. If only A-drei was as cold as L-elf. If only they were. They could actually do this without hurting so much.

 

 “When we drop off A-drei?” X-eins says quietly.

 H-neun lifts his head. “We leave him in the car, we head out we’ll find the next set of instructions. Tomorrow morning.”

 “Shouldn’t take us that long to get there as long as we don’t run into too many roadblocks.”

 “You mean we have to spend another night like last night?”

 “I guess so.”

 H-neun sighs and nods. X-eins frowns and reaches out, resting his hand lightly on H-neun’s thigh. He glances up and X-eins smiles back weakly. They’re both so exhausted. When they get to L-elf, the first thing they’re asking for is a nap.

 “Try to sleep now,” X-eins says softly. H-neun glances over. “If we have to have another night like last night, try to sleep now.”

 “Wake me up in a bit,” H-neun replies. X-eins nods. “I mean it. Don’t let me sleep too long.”

 “Because you always wake me when I ask,” he laughs softly. H-neun pouts and lays his hand gently over X-eins’. “You too, A-drei. Try to sleep while you can.”

 “I don’t take orders from you,” A-drei mutters. Their prince is being rather surly now apparently. “I’ll sleep when I like.”

 “Don’t be a child, A-drei.”

 “Maybe you two aren’t my X-eins and H-neun,” he says. “Maybe you’ve been possessed or something.”

 

 H-neun’s head snaps up and X-eins slams on the breaks. They come to screeching halt, A-drei yelps and there’s a thud as he falls from the back seat. Possessed. He and H-neun turn to A-drei, who’s glaring up at them from the footwells. He pulls himself to sit up and glares furiously, blowing his hair from his face as best he can.

 “What was that?” he snaps.

 “What made you say that?” H-neun says.

 “I don’t know, it’s not like I meant it,” A-drei mutters. He pulls himself up slowly and sits on the seats once more. They glance at each other and A-drei scowls back. “What? What’s wrong with you two?”

 “No really,” X-eins says. “Why would you say something like that?”

 “I- I don’t don’t know. It’s not important, is it?”

 “Very important,” they reply.

 “Uh, Kriemhild said something about people being possessed,” he replies quietly. They frown and A-drei glances between them warily. “Guys?”

 “Kriemhild?” X-eins says quietly.

 “What exactly did she say?” H-neun says.

 “Just something about people changing,” A-drei replies. “Magic. Rumours about old stories about people being possessed. People having incredible powers. Vampires and immortals.” That sounds oddly like their situation. Vampires and immortals and possession. “Guys?”

 “Kriemhild said that?”

 “She said it was just old superstitions, that it’s nothing to worry about, that it couldn’t be anything more than superstition,” he replies. “What’s going on with you two?”

 They turn away, ignoring the questions further and returning to their plans - X-eins drives and H-neun falls back into his chair to sleep. A-drei continues to question X-eins but he ignores their prince to focus on driving. They have to focus. Any slip up now could spell their doom.


	14. L-elf

 H-neun and A-drei are whispering. Normally, X-eins might try to ignore it, to remember that H-neun cares about everyone on his team a lot. That this entire situation must be agony for H-neun. But X-eins is tired. More than that. He’s exhausted. He wants to sleep. He wants to feel safe. He wants to get away from the constant worry of Magius stalking them and Cain’s rules and their own people hunting them and everything else! So right now, X-eins is not in the mood to tolerate and rationalise their whispering and gossiping. He’s not in the mood to temper himself with cool head and logic.

 “How much longer until we’re due to leave him?” he calls.

 H-neun turns, quickly covering the slightly hurt look that crosses his face. “Another fifteen minutes or so.”

 “Guys,” A-drei whispers. X-eins leans back against the 4x4. He feels another plea to remain with them coming. And a migraine. “You don’t have to-”

 “A-drei,” H-neun says firmly. A-drei frowns. “We’ve already told you far more than we should. We can’t risk more and I doubt you’d believe us anyway.”

 “Then let me come with you,” he argues. “Let me help you. Let me see for myself. If I lost you two as well-”

 “There’s no arguing about this, A-drei,” he says. “Stop. Before X gets grumpy. You know how cranky he gets when he hasn’t had his nap.”

 A-drei sighs and nods and X-eins doesn’t berate H-neun for the comment about naps like he’s a five year old. He’s not cranky because he’s a little sleepy, he’s exhausted and been on the run for a week. He hasn’t slept properly since their first stop and that was mostly exhaustion. After that his sleep had been disturbed and short. Naps will only get him so far. He imagines H-neun is much the same but hiding it better. The bags under his eyes aren’t so easy to hide though.

 “You know I’m only still here because I want to be with you two,” A-drei sighs. He twists his wrists and the ropes around his hands fall away. “But then, you didn’t try very hard to keep me either, did you?”

 Of course not. If they wanted to restrain A-drei to the point where he couldn’t escape, they would. X-eins had half expected A-drei to just leave. He supposes it is a testament to how much A-drei wants to remain with them.

 “Fine,” X-eins says at least. He takes A-drei’s phone from their bag and opens up the contacts. He thinks things over for a moment before picking where to put their new number. “We will offer you a compromise. This is your only offer. When you understand the truth, and you will know when you understand, call us and we will explain everything.”

 A-drei frowns, watching them for a moment before nodding. “Alright. If that’s the best you’ll give me.”

 “It’s for the best, A-drei.”

 A-dre nods. H-neun takes A-drei’s phone and puts it with his gun and knife on the front seat. They can’t let anyone know he’s with them willingly, or that he’s let them go, but given that he’s working with the royalists he probably can’t afford to explain himself anyway.

 “Can you deal with him, Hano?” X-eins says softly.

 “Yeah.”

 

 It doesn’t take long. He leaves H-neun with A-drei while he investigates the surrounding woods for any sign of their next move. It only takes a few moments before H-neun appears at his side again. X-eins smiles and takes their bag, the pair heading off into the woods in the direction H-neun leads.

 “They’re going to hate us,” X-eins mutters. “We’ve been their enemies all this time, after all.”

 “You care?” H-neun says.

 “Not so much,” he replies. “But it’s just a thought. We’re going to have to be prepared for a lot of hostility. We’ll have to rely on your charm.”

 “They trust L-elf, we’ll all just have to learn to get along somehow too.”

 “I think I like the idea of relying on your charms,” X-eins replies. “At least a little.” H-neun smiles back at him and X-eins takes his hand gently. “You are rather charming, after all.”

 “Aren’t I just,” H-neun laughs a little.

 X-eins slowly reaches up and pulls H-neun down, nuzzling gently against each other. The longer they spend together on this journey, the more X-eins knows he cannot be without his beloved H-neun.

 Their lips meet gently and X-eins pushes H-neun to the nearby trees. He leans into H-neun’s neck, lavishing his throat with sweet kisses. Once they’d crossed the line of making their relationship physical, it was like floodgates had opened. He really can’t get enough. H-neun’s breath hitches and X-eins wants more of that. He wants to hear every needy gasp and moan he can draw out of H-neun.

 

 “You have taken your relationship farther than I expected.” They jerk apart and turn to a familiar figure. “You shouldn’t move so suddenly like that, H-neun. You will injure your shoulder further. I advise you rest is as long as possible to ensure you are able to use it if necessary.”

 There are a few moments of silence, staring at the back at him before H-neun recovers.

 “I’m amazed you’d admit you prophecies aren’t perfect, L-elf,” he says. “And if you haven’t brought breakfast I will punch you.”

 “My analysis is as correct as ever,” L-elf says, holding out a brown paper bag that smells delicious, drinks in his other hand. “Just toasted sandwiches, I’m afraid. I didn’t think you’d trust food prepared by the students yet, so I stopped off. Strong black coffee and vanilla hot cocoa, still correct?”

 “I love you.”

 “As overly emotional as ever, H-neun.”

 X-eins takes the bag and L-elf hands over their drinks. H-neun is smiling in a strange way. He thinks he understands. L-elf seems softer than before. They drink slowly and wait for L-elf to start lecturing, as he always does. Still, toasted sandwiches are nice. Not standard cafeteria breakfasts.

 “Hypothesis,” L-elf says after a moment. “The two of you were not traitors. H-neun’s curiosity and quite admirable need to investigate any potential threats to his loved ones lead him to investigating Cain. You were, of course, there when he showed his true powers in Module 77, leading to your connections to the royalists.” They both frown. He’s so annoyingly right all the time. “X-eins must have become of interest to Cain. Knowing what you did, you would not have allowed such a thing to happen. X-eins would never knowingly allow you to suffer protecting him. The two of you would have disobeyed together, run from Cain and Dorssia. And, in the process begun to realise what we have always known; that the two of you share a deep love many could only ever hope and dream of. Seeing no other way to ensure your mutual survival, you decided to cast the dice and gamble on being useful enough to me that I would consider you potential assets to Module 77 and grant you safety. You are gambling you lives on my winning this war.”

 “What do you mean never knowingly let H-neun suffer to protect me?” X-eins snaps. “That implies there have been other times.”

 “Now I remember why I hate you,” H-neun groans.

 “I’m also aware that Cain’s mostly likely course of action from there would be to attempt to back you into a corner,” he continues. “The pair of you, as declared traitors, would be in the perfect position to get in contact with me and begin to infiltrate Module 77 with goals of capturing or killing me and the same with the Valvrave pilots and their Valvraves.” He lifts his head, and they’re both glaring back. Of course L-elf already knows everything. “I have no doubt the pair of you would trade my life to ensure the other’s safety.” He flashes a smirk. “How is that for an accurate analysis, H-neun?”

 “Relatively accurate,” X-eins hisses through gritted teeth. “You haven’t lost your touch.”

 “Then let’s get down to business,” L-elf says. He pulls his pistol and H-neun jerks back as the barrel rests lightly against his forehead. “If I think you’re going to betray me, I won’t hesitate. You’re both aware of that, I’m sure.”

 “Why does everyone always seem to think I’m the one to take hostage?” H-neun hisses.

 “Because you are overly emotional and already injured, while X-eins is the brains of your partnership and quite definitely in control of you.”

 “ _Excuse me_?”

 X-eins scowls. “What do you want?”

 “Just making my point clear,” L-elf says. “You’re right, I do consider you assets that I can use to assist Module 77 and my plans. I also believe you’re in a corner, and neither of you would be in this position given a choice. You can’t enjoy being forced into this mission against your will simply survive.”

 “We do what we have to in order to survive,” X-eins snaps.

 “And I respect that. So do I, after all. I will accept you help with Module 77, I believe you both want to simply be together and little more at this point, but should either of you show signs of betrayal, I will shoot the other without hesitation. In return I will be my best to ensure the two of you have as much trust and freedom as we can afford you and a comfortable life together.” X-eins clenches his jaw as L-elf casts him a cold glance. Of course, should they refuse now, they’ll both be dead within seconds. “Do we have a contract, X-eins?”

 H-neun growls. “Hey-”

 “X-eins?”

 “Fine,” he says, eyes narrowed. He won’t let him hurt H-neun. He can’t let anyone hurt H-neun. Not for anything. This was sort of what they were aiming at anyway. At least L-elf is comfortable with the fact that they’re content to play both sides. He expects it of them. “Those are acceptable terms.”

 “Then, we will leave when you’re done with your breakfast,” L-elf says. “And whatever else you feel the need to satisfy yourselves with.”

 

 They can’t do anything rash right now. They have to consider their positions. They don’t have many choices. X-eins lifts his drink again after a moment and leans back against the tree trunk. L-elf is waiting a respectable distance, looking out of earshot, but they doubt he’d actually go to position where he couldn’t listen in.

 “I don’t like that I’m getting a reputation as your pet hostage,” H-neun says.

 “It’s because you’re so important to me,” X-eins says into his coffee. “So, this is it. We’re saying goodbye to any hope of talking things through.”

 “I wish we could have explained properly to A-drei. I doesn’t feel right, walking away from him like this.”

 “Cain won’t let us have the people we love back again until we’ve proven our worth.” X-eins frowns a little. “We do as he asks, or we remove him. Those are our options.”

 “I know,” H-neun replies.

 “A-drei knows us,” X-eins sighs. “A-drei believes in us. Trusts us. No matter what we did to try and convince him not to, hmm?”

 “Makes you feel guilty for spying on him, right?” X-eins glares up at him. “Hey, I’m not judging, I just know what you’re thinking.” He sighs and nods. And saying nothing about H-neun’s missing earring. “He’ll understand. You were doing what Cain asked. He was your hero, after all.”

 “But not you? For longer than I realised.”

 H-neun smiles bitterly and nods. “Come on, let’s go before L-elf gets antsy.”

 “Optimistic as always, H-neun,” L-elf calls. They glare over before pushing up off the tree and heading over to join him, drinks in hand. “Hand over your weapons then, briefly, appraise me of your situation and condition.”

 “Now?” X-eins says.

 “So you can say anything that the student would be better off not knowing,” he replies.

 X-eins sighs, pushes up his glasses and nods, handing over his weapons as he explains. “H-neun’s shoulder is injured, as you’re aware, he was shot, I applied field aid but he needs something better to heal quickly.”

 “We have medical supplies enough to deal with that.”

 “It’s been a week, we need proper meals to make up for the lack nutrition and will require enough time to regain lost sleep to be at full potential.”

 “I’ve already set up a place for the two of you to sleep until I can be sure of your position and allow you to integrate with the students freely. We won’t be reaching out final destination for roughly twenty-four hours. You have time.”

 “Your students are Magius,” H-neun snaps.

 “Magius?” L-elf repeats.

 “Body-snatching vampires!”

 “You’re aware of that situation,” he says. “That is incredibly useful. And you know the technical name. They refer to themselves as Holy Spirits. How did you come across this?” They glance at each other and L-elf frowns, pulling out a piece of paper and showing them the symbol. “Does this mean anything to you two?”

 “That’s the same as the one all over the Council,” X-eins mutters.

 “Council?”

 “The Council of 101,” H-neun says. “A bunch of those Magius things who secretly control the world.”

 “I see. I large group of Magius would explain the Phantom. How did you two encounter them?”

 “I was selected to donate my body to the Council,” X-eins hisses. L-elf frowns. “Cain lured me to a secluded manor, restrained me and let one of the old Council members attempt to drain me and take my body. It if wasn’t for H-neun, I wouldn’t be myself anymore.”

 “Interesting.”

 

 L-elf set off without another word. X-eins takes up their bag and they follow L-elf into the treeline. They walk silently, just a few paces behind L-elf, all too aware they’re unarmed and walking into what could well be an enemy ambush. Every instinct drilled into them since childhood says it’s wrong but L-elf is guiding them. They’re useful to him. He’s not known for throwing away assets.

 “Is that the transport that went missing from the Karlstein battlefield?” X-eins snaps as the huge transport comes into view.

 “I don’t know why you’re surprised,” H-neun says. “Of course it was him.”

 “Thank you for your vote of confidence, H-neun,” L-elf says. “That was an interesting battle. You will have to give me all the information you can about the capabilities of the new robot.”

 “Kirschbaum,” they both says.

 L-elf smiles a little. “What a lovely name for such a destructive power.”

 There’s a welcome party. The Sakimori students and their teacher standing there, watching with a mixture of concern, distrust and outright hatred. Not that X-eins can blame them. They were on opposite sides of the war. They had all lost a great many people. And as far as New JIOR was concerned, Dorssia had attacked without warning of provocation. Some of them might have recognised them as being with L-elf the day they invaded, some of them might have realised they were soldiers involved in their suffering more than that day, but he doubts any of them really know how often they’d face each other across the battlefield.

 “They’re the Dorssia bastards we’re supposed to be taking in?” one of them growls.

 This early in the morning, and this exhausted, it takes X-eins a moment to switch into JIORan language mode. From the way H-neun wrinkles his nose, he might not be the only one struggling this early. The voice has been scolded before as Yamada. He’s scolded just as quickly as such. Along with an insistence he should be referred to as _Thunder._ JIORans are strange. L-elf stops a little way off and X-eins realises he’s actually taking time to introduce them properly. How unlike L-elf. X-eins wonders how his time with these students has affected him. Perhaps he has begun to soften up.

 “These are the members of New JOIR I have deemed vital to operations,” L-elf says. “Pilots, engineers and logistics. And this is X-eins and H-neun. You have seen them both many time in battle, we grew up together and I trust their skills will be most helpful.”

 “He can’t just say we’re friends, can he?” H-neun whispers.

 “I wasn’t aware we were,” X-eins replies. “I think we’re just useful assets.”

 “I could leave you for Cain if you’d rather,” L-elf says.

 “It’s fine,” H-neun replies with a chirpy smile.

 “And we’re supposed to just have these Dorssians move in because you say they’re trustworthy?” the idiot with orange hair snaps. “After everything they’ve done?!”

 Another nods. “A lot of people who’ve died because of them.”

 It isn’t unexpected. X-eins says nothing to defend their actions and holds H-neun’s wrist lightly. His pulse races under his fingertips but he doesn’t make a move to disobey the unspoken order. There’s a murmur of agreement and confusion between the students. L-elf looks like it’s within expectations too. Of course they’re not going to trust them right away.

 

 “And what about Marie?” cries one of the girls. “She’s only just- just- and you’re going to invite them in?!”

 “Marie?” H-neun says quietly. “You lost someone while here?”

 “The pilot in Valvrave I at Karlstein.”

 “Marie and Aina-”

 “Yamada Raizo and Inuzuka Kyuma,” L-elf says gesturing to the two stepping in front of the others. X-eins doesn’t dislike that. Protecting those that they loved from a perceived threat. Just as they had always been taught. Protect what was important with fire and fury. “Pilots of Valvrave III and V respectively.”

 “Colours,” H-neun says. “We identified them with colours.”

 “How like Dorssia,” he says. “III is yellow and V is blue.”

 “Ahh, the one with the arms and the one with the shields,” he says, nodding slightly. “That was a pretty good team.”

 “X-eins and H-neun were the pair you faced on the battlefield,” L-elf explains. “As they say, they’re identified by their colours and markings. They were the ones testing the new robots.”

 “Those monster robots that melted our shields and blew off half my Nubo Lightning-”

 “The Kirschbaum,” X-eins says, “is a new prototype robot based on the captured Valvrave Cain took during the invasion of Module 77. We were acting as test pilots. Defeat was mostly expected given they were first models, so it was in fact a great success. New modifications will be being made and they will soon go into mass production. However, we are capable of offering important insights into how they work. They performed beyond expectations and the test flight was considered a success in all aspects. You would have been better not to engage. Your friend would still be alive and our Kirschbaums would still be in testing phases.”

 

 Yamada Raizo throws himself forward with a yell. Not one really tries to stop him.Just as L-elf does nothing to stop H-neun moving to intercept the instant X-eins releases his wrist. Apparently L-elf doesn’t mind H-neun demonstrating his ability. It only takes a few moments. The idiot boy never stood a chance. It’s not even a fight. Despite being around the same height, he’s schoolboy with none of the training H-neun has. Even the boy’s yelling fades to gasps for breath in H-neun’s choke hold.

 “Call him off, X-eins,” L-elf says finally, not even looking back. “The pilots are important to me.”

 “Enough, Hano,” X-eins calls.

 H-neun drops Yamada instantly, stepping away and returning to his side as L-elf smiles. “I should have warned you; H-neun and X-eins are my seniors. H-neun is one of the few people who can keep up with me in combat and X-eins one of the few capable of matching my planning abilities.”

 “Acknowledgement,” H-neun whispers. “He really has changed.”

 “It’s nice to see your dog is better behaved than normal, X-eins.”

 “You deserved that,” X-eins murmurs. “You should have knocked him out straight away rather than playing around.”

 “Then he wouldn’t have known how helpless he really is,” H-neun replies. “And I’m getting sick of being looked down on-”

 “I don’t look down on you, H-neun,” L-elf says. “I am well aware of your uses and abilities. But the fact remains X-eins brings you to heel as if a pet with simple commands. Now introduction have been made-”

 “I don’t remember being introduced to anyone but the loud pair,” he hisses and X-eins smiles back. “And the dead chick.”

 “Hano,” X-eins scolds lightly.

 “- I think I should have you two settle,” L-elf continues, sweeping away. H-neun and X-eins nod, following close behind him. “You understand you will remain unarmed.” They nod. It’s expected. And L-elf is the only one who could threaten them even unarmed. “Once you’re settled, we can get someone to look at your shoulder, H-neun.”

 “Thanks.”

 

 It’s easy to ignore the JIORans glaring and stepping away from them as they pass by. Into the transport and away from the operational parts. They’re accompanied by the teacher and the two vocal pilots and the one even they can recognise as Tokishima Haruto. The boy who fights the world. Pilot of the red Valvrave and constant thorn in their side. This ameature pilot humiliating them as Karlstein graduates.

 “There are two pilots missing,” X-eins says. “Rukino Saki, the pilot of the green Valvrave, correct?”

 “She’s on a mission,” L-elf replies. “And the pilot of the purple Valvrave, Renbokoji Akira. She is here but you’re unlikely to see her.”

 They nod. The JIORans look concerned, as if they’ve only just realised where they’re heading. X-eins isn’t surprised in the slightest when L-elf opens the door to one of the cells. H-neun looks as unsurprised as X-eins. Where else would you house enemy soldiers you’re not entirely sure you can trust?

 “L-elf,” Tokishima says, “they’re your friends.”

 “Thank you for your concern but we don’t need it,” X-eins says, putting down their bag as H-neun sits on the bed. “We’ll be just fine. We’ve trained for far worse.”

 “If you’re sure,” he says quietly.

 “We are, thank you.”

 The teacher steps forward and pushes the kids aside. “I’m Kibukawa, the physics teacher. L-elf said your shoulder was injured?”

 “Leave him.” Yamada says, stomping away. “He deserves it.”

 “Let me see what we can do,” Kibukawa says.

 X-eins nods, joining him with H-neun and helping him off with his shirt. They’d been raised to respect their elders and betters. A teacher is probably about as close as they’re going to get here. And the way he looks at them, X-eins thinks he might be a soldier. He was sure he heard something about all the teachers at Sakimori being soldiers.

 It will be nice to have proper medical supplies to help treat H-neun. They are trained in field aid but that usually follows the assumption that they will reach proper medical care not long after. H-neun looks a lot more comfortable now he’s been properly stitched and strapped up; dealt with using painkillers and numbing agents rather than their own determination and will to live.

 

 “Will you be alright in one cell together?” Tokishima says.

 X-eins isn’t sure why he’s stayed. Probably for the same reason there are other students milling around. Curiosity about the Dorssian soldiers who were now their prisoners. Or possibly for the pleasure of seeing H-neun shirtless. X-eins has definitely given up trying to deny that seeing him shirtless is a great pleasure. Although, he doubts that’s what interests Tokishima.

 “We will be quite well, thank you, and I would rather stay close to H-neun anyway,” X-eins says, gently wrapping a blanket around his now thoroughly drugged boyfriend and pulling him gently into his arms. There are quite a few giggles and whispers from the girls watching. X-eins does his best to ignore that as H-neun leans gently into his shoulder. “Is there something you wanted from us?”

 Tokishima frowns. “L-elf… L-elf is my friend. He’s frustrating and level headed and sees so far into the future it can drive me crazy but… he has someone he loves, and things he wants to protect. He’s my friend.”

 “What does that have to do with us?” H-neun slurs.

 “I don’t know. L-elf hasn’t said much about your circumstances, but you seem to be kind of normal too. You have something you want to protect too. Just like everyone else.”

 “Wouldn’t it be easier for you to do what you have to if you believe that L-elf is the exception, rather than the rule?” X-eins says.

 “I’m not sure,” Tokishima sighs. “It’s easier not to think about the lives of Dorssians, all the soldiers we’ve killed.”

 “Kill. Don’t get killed.” Tokishima lifts his head and X-eins glances down at H-neun. He’s smiling and, for a moment, X-eins thinks he might have to poke him to explain, since X-eins isn’t going to bother, but he continues in the end. “Anyone who steps onto the battlefield has to accept their potential fate. We don’t go out there not knowing people die.”

 X-eins nods a little. “Every Dorssian soldier who steps out onto the battlefield knows they may never return. That is the life of a soldier.”

 “You’re our age,” one of the girls call.

 “You were at our school,” another agrees.

 “You were flirting with us.”

 H-neun grins. “Beautiful girls are important. You can’t blame me for trying.”

 “We are only a year older than the top end of your school,” X-eins says, ignoring H-neun’s stupid grin. “I assume your point is that we shouldn’t be soldiers at our age?” They all nod a little. “And you never considered that L-elf is our junior and within our group there was who’s only fourteen.”

 “Like L-elf would talk about it,” H-neun mutters.

 “Go to sleep, Hano.”

 “Why?” Tokishima says quietly.  “You guys should be like us. You shouldn’t be used to this. Why are you like this?”

 “Didn’t you see Karlstein village?” Tokishima frowns. “A secret training village in the mountains run by the military, that takes children with the most potential from military schools across Dorssia and brings them together to be trained as elite agents.”

 “Akira said they were children,” the girls whispers. “They weren’t even middle school aged.”

 “We were accepted into Karlstein ten years ago after two years in military school,” X-eins says. “We were considered old. Some thought we would be unable to keep up because we were too old. Because we’d experienced a comfortable life and would always remember it. Cain believed in us. Or… we thought…” He frowns and shakes his head. “We met L-elf there. We met the entire team there. It’s where we were brought together.”

 “You talk too much, X,” H-neun whispers.

 “Sorry.” He smiles over at the students more out of manners than actual enjoyment of their company. “I apologise, we’ll have to continue this another time. We are both exhausted from our journey and need rest.”

 

 Tokishima nods thoughtfully and shuts the cell door behind him, leaving the pair of them sitting together on the uncomfortable bunk. X-eins doesn’t mind at all. Instead he smiles absently, running his hands lovingly through H-neun’s hair as he drifts off to sleep. He’ll do everything to protect H-neun. No matter who he has to align himself with. L-elf’s words earlier still bother him. How long has H-neun been hurting himself to protect him without X-eins ever seeing it? He lays H-neun gently on the bunk, taking their blankets from their bag and curling up next to him.

 “Hano,” he whispers. H-neun’s eyes crack open and X-eins smiles, lifting his fingers gently to his lips. “Don’t hide what you’re doing from me anymore. I don’t want you to hurt looking after me anymore. Not when we could protect you.”

 “This’ll be our last mission,” H-neun replies, kissing his fingers in return. “Either way. We either retire and go home, or stick it out with the students. Nothing’s going to happen anymore. Go to sleep. You get cranky when you don’t have you nap.”

 “Shut up,” he sighs and H-neun closes his eyes again. “Goodnight, idiot.”


	15. New JIOR

 “Is it really ok to leave them like this?” 

 “Aren’t their human rights laws about this kind of treatment?”

 “It’s one of their own country’s prisons.” 

 “And didn’t they break human rights laws when they used that poison gas drill?”

 “They’re soldiers. They’re ready for this.”

 “They’re our age. Would you be prepared for this?”

 “They’re not us.”

 X-eins does wish if the kids were so curious about them, they would simply ask them questions. And if they were just going to gossip, they didn’t have to be with ear shot. Sitting around as a prisoner like this really doesn’t feel right, but there’s little else to be done. They have to be patient. There’s little to do but catch up on the sleep they so sorely need within a relatively safe place. Especially for the drugged up H-neun. It’s not unusual. They were encouraged to sleep as often and as much as possible. They could have missions that lasts weeks, running on only hours of sleep, and then had to crash out to catch up as much as possible. This feels exactly the same. 

 “They’re both really hot.” X-eins almost rolls his eyes but he wants doesn’t actually want to let them know he’s awake. “And always really close.”

 There are a few scandalised gasps. “You think they’re a couple?”

 H-neun smiles against his shoulder. He’s is lying sprawled out on top of X-eins; the pair once again pressed chest to chest and limbs tangled together as though their bodies fitted together perfectly. But really, he doesn’t need H-neun making this more embarrassing than having a bunch of kids gossiping. H-neun’s lips press lightly against his neck. X-eins is incredibly glad of their position in the room compared to the kids. Being hidden in the corner and under the blankets, they can’t be seen, not that that he’s letting that be H-neun’s excuse to get handsy again.

 “No way would Dorssia’s army let any of them feel anything for each other. You saw how quickly L-elf and them fell out.”

 “They seem to care about each other to me.”

 “L-elf seems to sorta like them too.”

 “L-elf doesn’t like anyone.”

 

 Their relationship with L-elf is complicated. There’s no point making a fuss over it. They’re useful and they’re a team. People work best a team they’re accustomed to. Wellness and calmness are essential for a strong working team dynamic. L-elf knows that. No doubt that’s why they’re locked up like this. While L-elf believes they’re not threat and they trust him to lead them in what is his best interest, the Sakimori students don’t trust them. He needs to reassure them and keep his current team harmonious. 

_  Team bonding is important _ , H-neun always used to say, often with his hands on X-eins,  _ getting to know each other completely _ . L-elf would often agree in his own clinical way;  _ having a bond is an integral part of trusting one another to complete our personal roles in missions and a thorough working knowledge of each others’ bodies would allow us to know when there is something that needs attending to _ . Typical L-elf. X-eins is sure that that L-elf and H-neun’s ideas of knowing each others’ bodies are quite different. It does occur to him that L-ef had known H-neun’s shoulder was injured when they first met face to face without them having said a word. Perhaps he really did know their bodies that well. And he does find himself wondering just how long H-neun has thought about this - their relationship. He says that he’s felt like this for a long while, he has always been flirtatious and affectionate, so how long as H-neun felt like this? Perhaps always and simply X-eins hadn’t realised. X-eins is starting to wonder if that might not be how it is for him too. Has he always wanted H-neun? Had their relationship simply grown into this naturally? 

 

 “I heard same sex relationships were allowed in Dorssia.”

 “So, it’s a secret love affair.”

 “How romantic.”

 “L-elf is Dorssian too, why can’t you ask him your questions?” X-eins groans.

 “Ah, they’re awake!”

 “Not willingly,” he replies, opening his eyes slowly. There’s a group of a dozen or so students at the cell bars. “Again, why can’t you ask L-elf your questions?”

 “You two seem friendlier,” one replies. “Plus, he’s L-elf. He doesn’t tell us much unless it’s important to the plan and barely even then.” 

 “Are you two a couple?” says another. 

 “You can’t just ask them that!”

 “I heard same sex relationships aren’t allowed in Dorssia, is it true?”

 “Relationships are discouraged at our age,” X-eins replies, petting H-neun’s hair absently. “Especially with others within the military. Break ups can cause things complicated and awkward for everyone around and that’s without going into the issues of imbalanced power positions.”

 “Yes, but are same sex relationships allowed?”

 “And are you two?”

 X-eins almost rolls his eyes but H-neun’s laughs against his shoulder. He should be feilding the questions from these damn brats. Why’s X-eins the one having to deal with them?

 “They are not prohibited,” he says. His eyes flutter shut and he leans his head back as H-neun kisses his neck softly. Almost rewarding of him indulging the kids. He takes a deep breath to steady himself before continuing. “However, the ideal is a relationship that will produce the next generation to continue strengthening Dorssia. Particularly in military families. It’s expected that we will raise children to follow in our footsteps.” He can practically hear them about to repeat the question.  _ Dumb it down for them, _ he tells himself. “Romantically, allowed but not ideal or encouraged. Sexually we can do what we like as long as it doesn’t interfere with our work.”

 The kids murmur among themselves and X-eins wants tell them to go away and ask H-neun later. He’s the friendly one. Put a nice looking young lady in front of him and he’ll answer questions for hours. But H-neun is quite definitely rewarding his interaction with the school kids, lavishing his neck with soft kisses. He can tolerate them if H-neun is going to make it worth his while. He pushes his thigh up between H-neun’s in return, more than a little satisfied when H-neun breathes heavily against his shoulder. 

 “So, you’re from military families?”

 “L-elf said the bastards were orphans,” Yamada Raizo growls. 

 So he’s here too? He seems to enjoy being here to taunt them constantly. 

 “Ah, if they lost their parents we shouldn’t pry.” 

 “Oh, it’s probably a sore spot.”

 “We lots our families too! To them! Dorssia has our families hostage or worse.”

 “They were on the module during the invasion, right?”

 

 “I’m sure you all have duties to be tending to.” X-eins has never been more glad to hear L-elf. These school children are nothing like Dorssian soldiers. It’s like an entire crew of Q-veirs. “If you wouldn’t mind getting to them.” The pair lie silently together, listening to the footsteps moving away until they’re sure it’s just L-elf and they move to get him in view. “You’ve got ten minutes to wake up, and do whatever it is you two feel you should do as a couple, while I ensure everyone is actually doing as I asked. I’ll escort you to the showers. We have spare uniforms you can use and we’ll start getting you integrated with the students and working.”

 They pay no more attention to L-elf and X-eins pushes H-neun to the bed beneath him. With the kids gone there’s no need to hold back or pretend. After putting up with those kids, he needs to work off some stress. H-neun gazes up a him with flushed cheeks and a small smile a X-eins smirks back. 

 “What kind of dark age do they think Dorssia is in to have banned homosexual relationships?” X-eins sighs.

 “I dunno,” H-neun laughs softly, reaching up into his hair. “Aren’t we one the run because of our forbidden love?”

 X-eins rolls his eyes. “While I feel it may well have been your love for me that has landed us in this situation, I don’t think it’s forbidden.”

 “It’s all ARUS propaganda, you know,” he says with a shrug. “They want to believe we’re backwards, militant, cold hearted and against love in all forms. We’re still living in the dark ages according to them, as you say.” 

 “Of course, you and I in a relationship like this is certainly against the rules, isn’t it?” H-neun laughs and X-eins smiles. “Take advantage of my subordinate officer-”

 “Hey, I’m not your subordinate.”

 “Yes, you are.”

 “Since when?” X-eins sighs and leans down, kissing him softly. H-neun smiles against his lips and nods a little. “Ok, when you put it like that.”

 “I’m glad you understand your position.” 

 Their kisses are soft and sweet, H-neun yielding to him instantly, letting him down as he pleases. As always. Despite the rather overwhelming strength and weight advantage that H-neun has over him, he always lets him have control. He really is ridiculous. That’s probably just another reason why X-eins adores him so much.

 

 It’s tricky to ignore the high school kids’ interest in them. X-eins’ sure he spots a few of the girls milling around when L-elf lets them into the showers. Apparently he’s aware of how much interest in them there is and stays to guard them as if they can’t look after themselves. Although, the official excuse is that he’s making sure they’re not a threat to the rest of the students. 

 “This would have been a fully staffed transport if you stole it from Karlstein,” H-neun calls as they undress. Of course L-elf is listening in case they’re planning anything. “What did you do with the soldiers?”

 “What we were trained to do with enemy soldiers,” L-elf replies. “But I’m sure you already knew that.”

 Of course. There was no way that L-elf wouldn’t have followed protocol there. Everyone would be rounded up. Those who fought were killed, those who surrendered would be shoved out into the countryside and abandoned. At least he didn’t just slaughter them all. No matter what they think about Cain and the Council this is still their country. They don’t want to see their countrymen dying needlessly. 

 X-eins frowns, noticing H-neun’s stiff and tense. He sighs, reaching over and cupping his cheek and pressing a light kiss to his lips. H-neun blinks and X-eins smiles back, leading him into the showers and under the water. 

 “It’ll be fine,” he whispers. “We’ll make it together. Just like we always promised.” He grabs the shampoo from H-neun and H-neun shivers visibly as he squirts the gel into his hair. “And this way, your hair won’t have to be changed to hide your identity. You did seem very offended by that earlier.”

 H-neun grins and nods, apparently soothed by that for now. X-eins is glad. He runs his fingers lovingly through H-neun’s hair, humming soft. Somehow, even in this position, it doesn’t seem so bad with H-neun’s arms wrapping loosely around him.

 

 There are uniforms waiting for them. X-eins frowns and picks up what he assumes is his as H-neun looks over the other. After a long moment of silent consideration, H-neun laughs. 

 “Something amusing?” L-elf calls. 

 “Just how far ahead did you predict our defection?” H-neun calls.

 “Considerably,” he replies. “In fact, my working plan takes into account the defection from Dorssia of all three of you.”

 “Three of us?” X-eins snaps. 

 “You two and A-drei,” he replies. “I believe I already told you I was aware that H-neun would soon defect. As I said, he was there when we realised Cain was not Human in Module 77. It was only a matter of time before he got himself in deeper than he could handle. He would either defect or be killed. His dedication to his friends and need to protect you would lead him down this road sooner rather than later. I will confess, I hoped that my prediction about the timing being while we were on Earth would prove accurate and that he would seek me out.I am glad to have been right.”

 “You wanted me from the start?” H-neun says.

 “You are an asset,” he replies. “You are an strong pilot and reliable in combat. I knew you would eventually defect with him, X-eins, however the timing of it was hard to pinpoint without knowledge of what was happening within the academy. I am glad that it was so swift.”

 “So you had uniforms made in our sizes and colours?” X-eins says. 

 “I was cautiously optimistic.”

 “I don’t remember you taking my measurements,” H-neun laughs.

 “They’re in your personnel files.”

 H-neun laughs and X-eins smiles back at him as they dress.  _ The new uniform suits him, _ X-eins thinks as he watches H-neun dress. He slips on his glasses slowly and the pair step out into the hall, not entirely comfortable in uniforms that weren’t their own. They never really are. It’s alright when acting as spies. It was like playing dress up. These uniforms were now…  _ theirs _ . 

 

 “Shall we?” L-elf says.

 He turns away without waiting for a response and the two have no option but to follow silently through the halls. Their every step is watched by curious students. It’s not surprising that they’re not allowed near the Valvraves and instead end up in the medical bay. Apparently a few of the students were injured in the fight at Karlstein. Minor bumps and scrapes mostly, but L-elf is oddly cautious. He’s definitely changed. 

 “How well are acquainted with Dorssiana are you?” L-elf asks. 

 H-neun is shirtless again, having his shoulder checked once more while X-eins helps clean and wrap the minor grazes. Currently working on one girls’ cut palm, who is staring at him with rather flushed cheeks. She has a crush, it’s rather sad. Although, X-eins notes L-elf is addressing  _ him _ , not the pair of them.

 “Not very, I’m afraid,” X-eins replies. “I have been on trips for the interest in the historical aspects of the old capital. The architecture was quite beautiful and there are many fascinating-”

 “It was a good place to go on dates,” H-neun says. X-eins turns to glare and L-elf frowns. “I went with Kriemhild once-”

 “How many times did you go on dates with Kriemhild?”

 “Well… more…” X-eins raises an eyebrow. “I was with these two other beautiful ladies and Kriemhild came and found me.” X-eins’ eyes narrow and he pushes up his glasses. H-neun grins. “You’re getting jealous again, X?”

 “I don’t get jealous.”

 “You admitted it the other day.”

 “If you were honestly happy with her and were going to settle, I would be happy for you, you know that. I just don’t like you skirt chasing and forgetting me for whatever woman you’re currently fawning over. I’ve been you closest friend for years, but the second a pretty girl smiles at you, I’m forgotten. It rather insulting.” 

 “I was under the impression you grew up in Dorssiana, H-neun,” L-elf says, bringing the conversation back on topic. H-neun scowls, eyes flashing with something dark. X-eins is suddenly reminded of what A-drei said about H-neun threatening him when he brought up his parents. “I assume your personnel files aren’t inaccurate. Why would they bother to do something so damning to a student so young unless it’s true?”

 The students are staring up at him, obviously expecting that L-elf is implying something awful hidden in H-neun’s past. H-neun certainly acts like it is. X-eins understands. Everything they’ve been through, admitting to having royalist lineage does seem wrong.

 “I don’t remember,” H-neun mutters, glancing away. “I don’t remember living in the city, nothing before moving out to the country. Sorry.”

 

 L-elf frowns and X-eins turns his attention back to the young girl. Let L-elf fuss and worry over little plans like that. He smiles at the young lady, fastening the bandages with a piece of tape.

 “That shouldn’t take too long to heal. It’s not too bad.”

 “Th-thank you,” she whispers, going completely red, her fingers squeezing his slightly. X-eins is rather flattered really. This must be how H-neun feels when girls fall at his feet. “Are- are you two really Dorssian?” X-eins nods. “You don’t sound it. I mean, your JIORan is very good. You sound natural.”

 “We’re military elite,” he says. “We’re trained primarily to act behind enemy lines. We’re fluent in all major languages.”

 “X is pretty handy in most minor ones,” H-neun laughs. “And a few dead ones.”

 “Hasn’t L-elf gone over this sort of-” He pauses and frowns. L-elf has even vanished while they were chatting. Information about Dorssiana retrieved and now he’s done. It’s L-elf, after all. “Nevermind.”

 “X?” she says. 

 “Yes?”

 “He calls you X?”

 “Hano and I have known each other for a long time,” X-eins replies. “Even before we joined the military. We grew up together.” 

 He glances over as H-neun is pulling on his shirt again. “X-eins is a mouthful.”

 “Hano wanted a name he could have girls call him by rather than a code.” 

 “You were calling me Hano way before that.” 

 “Mm, because-” He stops short and frowns. “Oh.”

 After a moment, H-neun turns away. “Oh yeah. So, who’s next?”

 H-neun grins and turns to the girls who call to him. They all have various concerns and ailments that X-eins is rather sure they’re putting on just to get H-neun to talk to them. They do seem rather eager to have their hands on hands on him. Honestly, is everyone on L-elf’s team here with minor injuries to gawk at them?

 

 “Is everything alright?” the girl holding his hand says. X-eins turns to her. “A sore spot?”

 “Military life is not easy,” he says quietly. “You lose a lot of people who mean a lot to you.”

 “I think we’re starting to learn that. If you need to talk, I’m sure I can listen when you need to.” 

 “Thank you.” X-eins frowns and pushes up his glasses. “Forgive me, I forget my manners. I haven’t even asked you name.”

 “Eri. Watari Eri.”

 “Miss Watari. I’m sure you have your own tasks to be doing. I shouldn’t keep you.”

 “Right, of course. I do mean it though. If you ever want to talk, just come and find me.” 

 X-eins nods and after a few more minutes, the girls are all called away and they’re left in the empty room. Now what? 

 X-eins finds his gaze falling on H-neun and moves over slowly, tipping his head so he can kiss him lightly. He runs his hands slowly over H-neun’s shoulder, as if he could somehow remove any trace of their touch from his H-neun. 

 “Look at you, huh?” H-neun laughs. “I knew there were gonna be girls who went for that gentlemanly thing you do.”

 “Hano.”

 “Huh?”

 “I forgot that was where it started,” X-eins whispers. 

 “Me too until we were talking about it,” he replies quietly. “Do you regret it?”

 “Sometimes. You?”

 “All the time. But we had to.”

 H-neun still adores F-sech it seems.

 

 The older boy smiles warmly, hushing H-neun as he wraps the bandages gently around his thigh. Training accidents in Karlstein were brutal. H-neun shoving X-eins out the way of a knife blade during practice had lead to a serious slash to his leg. And this boy had been there, smiling gently and helping him before X-eins could even wipe the tears from the corners of his eyes. 

 “H-neun,” he sniffles, pushing up his glasses and wiping his eyes. He sits next to them and H-neun smiles weakly. “I’m sorry, H-neun.” 

 “H-neun, huh?” the boy says softly. H-neun nods a little and puts his hand lightly on X-eins’ head. “How are you feeling? It doesn’t look so bad.”

 “It’s alright,” H-neun replies. 

 X-eins grabs his hand and H-neun squeezes back tightly. The older boy nods. “I’m F-sech. You’re being very brave, Hano. You need to sit out for a while, ok?”

 “Hano?”

 “It suits you,” F-sech says with a bright smile. And after a moment, H-neun grins back and nods. “Just get a bit of rest. Once I’m sure it’s stopped bleeding, I’ll teach you how to dodge that.”

 H-neun nods enthusiastically and X-eins frowns at the colour in his cheeks as F-sech walks away. He tugs on H-neun’s sleeve lightly and H-neun turns. X-eins instantly puts his hand on H-neun’s forehead.

 “You look flushed. Are you ok?”

 “Yeah,” H-neun replies, turning and gazing after F-sech. “Just fine.”

 X-eins turns and gazes after F-sech. He’s smiling all the time as he spars with some of the others. And H-neun is watching him with something X-eins doesn’t think he’s seen in H-neun’s eyes since Cain saved them. F-sech is fighting with the kid who’s blade still has H-neun’s blood on it. He shouldn’t have been so clumsy. He really can’t do anything without H-neun protecting him, can he? 

 “I’m sorry, H-neun,” he whispers, leaning into H-neun’s shoulder. H-neun’s hand falls lightly on his head once more but as X-eins gazes up at him, he notices H-neun still watching F-sech rather than him. “H-neun!”

 “X-eins?” 

 “I’m sorry,” he says, shaking his head. He gazes up at H-neun and finally H-neun is gazing back at him again. “I’m sorry, I won’t let it happen again. I’ll get better.”

 “Don’t worry about it,” H-neun replies quietly. “Protecting you is important. If I don’t have you, I don’t have any reason to live.”

 X-eins’ eyes widen slightly and he nods, leaning into his shoulder again. He’ll get stronger anyway. He doesn’t want to be a burden to H-neun. He doesn’t want him to get hurt protecting him. Cain said you should be strong enough to protect your own back and your friend’s. That‘s what he has to do. He has to get stronger. He has to be strong enough to protect H-neun and he can’t do that if he’s struggling to keep up all the time. He needs to find a way to stop being a burden to H-neun. 

 

 H-neun takes to F-sech quicker than he’s seen him take to anyone. Over the next few days, F-sech is there constantly. X-eins can’t seem to get H-neun alone. Suddenly there are three people in this friendship and X-eins doesn’t think he likes it. H-neun is friendly with everyone, but F-sech is another thing entirely. 

 “I don’t think X likes me,” F-sech says quietly.

 X-eins opens one eye discreetly. H-neun and F-sech as sitting on H-neun’s cot, flicking through some books together. X-eins is trying to rest from after a several day trek. And now he has to listen to H-neun and his  _ new best friend _ gossiping about him. X? Apparently F-sech doesn’t appreciate anyone’s names. 

 “Of course X likes you,” H-neun replies. Even H-neun is doing it now. “He’s just a bit shy. He’s always been kinda anti-social.”

 F-sech shakes his head. “No, I really don’t think he likes me. He’s always really cold.”

 “He’s always like that. Don’t worry. He’ll warm up to you. It took me weeks before he’d even talk to me.”

 “If you’re sure.”

 X-eins is never going to warm up to F-sech. He doesn’t want to warm up to him. He doesn’t want anyone but H-neun. He doesn’t  _ need _ anyone but H-neun. He rolls over and curls up under his covers. Maybe it’s because F-sech is older. Stronger. Better. X-eins can’t ignore that he and F-sech have lot of similarities physically. H-neun is ignoring him for a better version? Someone more like him. Maybe… maybe X-eins needs to try to be more like H-neun and F-sech. Maybe that will get H-neun’s attention back on him.

 The camp cot dips beneath him and X-eins turns slightly. The lights have gone out while he’s been sulking. H-neun presses his finger lightly to X-eins’ lips as he rolls over and X-eins frowns. H-neun takes his hands and X-eins squeezes tightly.

 “Are you ok?” H-neun whispers.

 “Do you like F-sech more than me?” X-eins replies quietly. 

 H-neun’s widen slightly and he shakes his head quickly, squeezing X-eins’ hands with almost crushing force. But somehow, it’s reassuring. “No way. You’re always my favourite person. Is that what’s upsetting you?”

 “I’m not upset,” he whispers. “I just… don’t have anyone else…” H-neun laughs a little and X-eins glances away. “I- I’ll get better. I’ll get stronger. I won’t be a burden anymore and then it can just go back to being the two of us.”

 “X.” X-eins frowns and H-neun kisses his forehead. “I’ll stay the night, ok, X? But you should hang out with us. F-sech is really cool. You should get to know him. I promise you’ll like him.” 

 X-eins frowns. Had he just ignored everything X-eins just said? He sighs and nods. “If you say so. I’ll try for you.”

 “You can call me Hano too.”

 “Right…” X-eins nods a little more. Sure. If that means he can hold onto H-neun. “...Hano…”

 H-neun grins and X-eins’ stomach does flips as H-neun wraps him tightly in his arms, pulling him close against him. X-eins doesn’t understand at all. Was it really that much of a big deal? But H-neun’s breath ruffles his hair and everything seems ok again.

 “You know I love you, X.” X-eins’ face heats up and he buries himself in H-neun’s shoulder. “I mean… you’re like my best friend. And like family. You know?”

 “I love you too,” X-eins mumbles into his shoulder. “Hano.”

 

 H-neun had always believed the best of him. X-eins sighs, leaning into H-neun’s neck gently as they wait for their next instructions. H-neun still adores F-sech, that much is obvious. He’s always adored F-sech. Only a little older than them but somehow so much more mature. Perhaps that was because he was connected to the old ways. He was so sophisticated and regal and enchanting. 

 “He was right,” X-eins says quietly. H-neun tilts his head and X-eins smiles bitterly. “I didn’t like him. I wasn’t just being shy.” 

 “You…” H-neun tips X-eins’ chin up lightly. “Why? I thought you two-”

 “He just turned up and took all your attention,” he replies, shaking his head. “He was stealing you from me!” H-neun frowns and X-eins lowers his gaze. “It’s not that I didn’t like him in the end. It just took some time. I really… I hated that it felt like you were more interested in him. I hated him for it. Because you wanted him not me.” 

 “As if I’d ever want anyone instead of you,” H-neun says. He leans down, pressing their lips together lightly. “You’ve always been the jealous type, huh? How many times do I have to tell you? You’re  _ always _ my favourite person.”


	16. Possession

 H-neun is breathing softly next to X-eins. They’ve somehow ended up on guard duty. Yamada Raizo and Inuzuka Kyuma are with them. Each student has a weapon, and L-elf says they’re not allowed to take them from the pair unless there’s a dire emergency. Apparently he thinks his threat of shooting them is enough to keep them obedient. It does seem to be doing the job. X-eins can’t risk H-neun’s life disobeying and it’s blatantly clear H-neun won’t risk him. They really are stuck. Not that they have any intentions of betraying L-elf just yet anyway.

 And so H-neun is _napping._

 X-eins sighs. H-neun really does the _‘sleep wherever possible’_ mentality a little too far sometimes. The sense is solid; you have to sleep when you’re safe and secure, since who knew when you’d be thrown into days with only cat naps to see them through. Napping on guard duty isn’t really productive, though.

 

 “Lots of our friends died because of you bastards,” Yamada says suddenly. “Nobu died because of you-”

 “I’m afraid I don’t know who you’re talking about,” X-eins says, pushing up his glasses. That only seems to annoy the troublemaker more. His gun is suddenly pointed straight at them. “I would kill you both before you could pull the trigger, so put it down. As for what I’m sure your objections to me not knowing who your friends are, I have killed a great many people. Dorssia has killed many people. I have stopped counting. Why should I remember the names and faces of your friends anymore than any other?”

 “We were school kids,” he snaps. “We were supposed to be living life-”

 “And?” he says. He knows it sounds cold but what else can he say? “Hano and I are both only a little older than you. Should we have not been living our lives as teenagers? Did you consider that when you were fighting us? When you destroyed our Ideals? Or that there were pilots and students younger than us? Did you think about the young students at Karlstein? Do you remember the names and faces of all the pilots you’ve killed in Ideals and Waffe? Those men in the Ideal Blumes? You’ve slaughtered hundreds if not thousands between you. Or do you not consider them simply because you believe your cause is just and right?”

 They stare at him and X-eins tilts his head curiously. Had they honestly not considered it? So many lives and they hadn’t considered it for a moment. Doesn’t that make them worse?

 “How many people have you killed?” Watari Eri says. Yamada and Inuzuka jump as if they hadn’t noticed her, despite her being in their field of view behind him and H-neun. X-eins tilts his head to gaze at her over his shoulder. “Did you kill our friends?”

 “Not especially,” he replies. “I was not active within Module 77 after the initial operation and we didn’t kill any students while there.”

 “And our families?”

 “Deported. I wouldn’t know beyond that. We’re Lunar Orbit Forces. We don’t have access to what happens here in Dorssia very often and most of our efforts were focused on the Valvraves.”

 Watari moves around and sits at his side. X-eins isn’t entirely sure how to deal with a girl being interested in him like this. H-neun would have no problem, and he dragged him along on double dates every now and again - apparently promising a girl that her friend can come along and that he has a friend to keep her company is a good way for H-neun to get dates - but X-eins has never had a girl so interested in him after such a short time. And very likely based on his looks alone, given she barely knows a thing about him and that he is formerly her enemy. He suddenly really wishes H-neun was awake to help him with this.

 

 “And… your family?” Watari says softly. “You guys said earlier that military families were expected to raise military kids. L-elf said he thinks you’re orphans.”

 X-eins frowns, gazing down at H-neun. Their families... “I don’t know about H-neun’s parents, he lived with his grandfather when I met him. During the chaos of the military coup, there were a lot of power struggles. A lot of small scale battles. A lot of people died.”

 “Soldiers,” Yamada growls. “The less Dorssian bastards in the world, the better.”

 X-eins wrinkles his nose. He’s killed a great many people in battle. Soldiers. If their parents had been such, perhaps he wouldn’t feel like this about it. But X-eins did his best not to become a murderer. Innocent civilians were always the worst to kill. Even if he had, he never felt totally right about it.

 “You don’t even know which side they fought on,” Watari says.

 Inuzuka stays quiet, just frowning at them and X-eins adjusts his glasses. “They didn’t fight. They weren’t soldiers. We lived in town in the mountains, we had never seen the fighting or the battles. We barely knew the faces of our rulers, let alone the soldiers who overthrew them. But they found us.”

 He frowns and H-neun stirs on his shoulder. Watari smiles back at him sympathetically and X-eins wishes he knew how to let her down gently. Instead, he finds himself gazing down at H-neun with a small smile. So peaceful and quiet, leaning on his shoulder as if there’s nothing wrong in the world. As if they’re kids again when the rowdy boy down the street, sitting together on the hill above the town, reading as through tales of fantasy and far away lands out outside their sleepy town as he friend slept on his shoulder. They had seen such incredible places as H-neun and X-eins. They had adventures that could easily match the books they read back then. All their incredible adventures would amaze those young boys.

 “We were in the fields playing,” X-eins says after a moment. “We were spared the massacre. We went back to find only bodies.”

 “That’s so awful,” Watari whispers, grasping his hand. And even the two pilots are frowning. It would be easier for them if they were monsters, wouldn’t it? X-eins understands. “How did you manage?”

 “I had Hano,” he replies. “Cain found us, protected us, saved us. He gave us the advice we needed to survive all this time. He enrolled us in the military. Set us up to join Karlstein. But even so… I had Hano. Without him, I never would have managed. I never would have survived.”

 

 H-neun groans and suddenly a lot more weight was on him, throwing him off balance. The pair end up in a heap on the floor, the trio of students staring down at them. H-neun still seems to be sleeping. Although, X-eins thinks he probably isn’t.

 “Hano, you’re heavy,” he groans.

 “If you lost the person that you loved,” Inuzuka says suddenly, “would you ever trust the people who took them from you?”

 X-eins frowns and glances down at H-neun. “That’s a complicated question.”

 “How is it? It seems simple. Why should we trust you after everything you’ve done? You talk about those Dorssian soldiers we killed, they were soldiers. They went into battle knowing they could die. We didn’t.”

 “And for us? To trust you?”

 “Weren’t you listening-”

 “We were betrayed by the man we thought cared for us,” X-eins says. “Who raised us as if we were his own. The royalists would stop at nothing for their cause and have destroyed countless innocent lives. L-elf shot his own teammate and closest friend - his only friend. And the Magius - L-elf says the chosen term for them among you students is Holy Spirits - will see H-neun killed and my body possessed.” Both pilots look distinctly uncomfortable at that particular accusation. Watari looks completely lost, confirming X-eins’ theory that L-elf was keeping the Magius secret. “We have nowhere to turn to and no one to trust.”

 There’s a heavy silence and X-eins turns his attention to gently petting H-neun’s hair. He won’t mention H-neun’s parents. He won’t treat H-neun any differently to how he had only a few days before. And he won’t ask just how much L-elf knows about them that they don’t know themselves. They’re starting to forget anyway. Why drag up unpleasant things they can’t remember?

 

 “Aina died when you bastards blew up our hangar,” Yamada snaps at last. Inuzuka turns away. “She was a good girl.”

 “You weren’t even friends,” Watari says.

 “She was good to everyone,” he argues, hand going to his arm. “You didn’t have to be her friend.” He turns his glare back to them and X-eins really wishes for H-neun’s charm about now. “It was one of your lot, right? Haruto said it was that guy who’s always after L-elf and another one of yours.”

 “I told you, I never entered Module 77 after the initial infiltration,” X-eins says. It’s only really petting H-neun’s hair that keeps his patience at this point. “If you’re referring to the time I imagine you are, that was A-drei, L-elf’s closest companion, prince and leading figure within the royalist revolution. And Q-vier. H-neun and I were outside with the boomerangs.”

 “And this Q-vier?” Inuzuka says. “What’s he like?”

 X-eins gazes down at H-neun once more. _Q-vier._ They had made Q-vier. They’d raised him together. The five of them. He sighs and closes his eyes, leaning his head back. Q-vier’s just a child. X-eins doesn’t want to think what could happen to him if Dorssia and the military fell apart. He would like to think he could have a happy life as a normal boy. But they all know it’s impossible for any of them. They can never be normal. Q-vier will never be able to be a normal. He will never be anything but a brutal killer. At least he and H-neun had known something before Dorssia’s military. A-drei had been brought up properly. L-elf and Q-vier could never be normal.

 “You won’t find the same mercy and humanity in Q-vier as you do in us,” he says at last. “He was raised differently to us. The only way for him to reconcile his brutal upbringing was to see the world as little more than a game. All the violence and deaths, it’s like a video game. Don’t expect remorse if you ever manage to confront him.” X-eins smiles bitterly. “If you ever do confront him, you must kill him without hesitation. Leaving him alive would be no mercy at all for him, and would simply endanger your lives further. Kill, don’t get killed. Learn it. Just like we did.”

 

 The pilots stare at them for a moment and Watari squeezes his hand. After a long moment, X-eins tries to get H-neun off him. His insistence in not moving is all the proof X-eins needs that his friend is not asleep in the slightest.

 “How old were you?” Inuzuka says quietly. “When you joined the military? When all that happened?”

 “Did Tokishima Haruto not tell you of conversation yesterday?” They shake their heads “Seven.” Relatively speaking, they had lived a long time outside the military. In peace and safety. “We were seven when our town was slaughtered and nine when we were enrolled into Karlstein.”

 “Do you think we’re the kind of monsters who’d feel vindicated by the suffering of children?” he says, tilting his head away. X-eins tilts his head a little. “Doesn’t that just make you guys victims too? You’ve had your lives destroyed by Dorssia too.”

 There’s a heavy moment of silence and X-eins smiles, petting H-neun’s hair. He’s never really thought about it like that. Thinking of one’s self as a victim is a good way to fall prey to others. He was no victim. He was a soldier. He would get stronger and stronger until he never needed to fear losing anyone again. Eventually, the suffering of others stopped weighing so heavily on your soul. But, he does wonder, how many towns had they left like theirs? How many young boys like them had they left behind, to fall into the hands of those who would use them to their own end?

 

 X-eins pushes H-neun and he rolls onto the floor next to him. He sits up slowly and does his best to pry Watari’s hand from his without being too obvious about it. Women fawning over his looks certainly isn’t normal for him. Apparently he’s going to experiencing lots of new things on this journey.

 “What does L-elf even want us to do with you guys?” Yamada growls.

 “Who know with L-elf?” X-eins replies. “No one will know how to implement our skills better than L-elf. He’s worked with us for a long time.”

 The transport jolts and wind howls around them. X-eins frowns and stands slowly, heading to the window. H-neun murmurs something that sounds like _‘snowstorm’_ and X-eins nods. Sure enough, there is wind and snow outside the window, buffering them so suddenly the transport is forced to a standstill.

 “Isn’t it romantic?” Watari whispers, coming up behind him.

 “Is it?” X-eins replies. She smiles and wraps her arms around his, leaning lightly against him. “I’m not entirely sure about that.”

 “I suppose snow is pretty normal for you,” she says. “This is your home, after all.”

 “I never understood why snow is considered romantic anyway,” he says. “Romance is more H-neun’s special interest than mine. Especially a blizzard. It’s a health risk.”

 “Bad omen,” H-neun mumbles.

 “So you are awake?” X-eins says, glancing back. He turns his gaze back to the storm growing outside. “You remember then?”

 “Of course,” he says quietly.

 Watari is gazing up at him with a frown and X-eins smiles. “Every time we had a mission in a snowstorm, things go wrong.”

 “Winter missions are bad news,” H-neun murmurs.

 “You’re used to it though, right?” Yamada growls.

 “We’re trained for it,” X-eins replies. “Our graduation mission from Karlstien village to the academy was done in winter conditions.”

 “I liked that hat,” H-neun murmurs.

 “I didn’t suit you.”

 “You think?”

 “Definitely.”

 H-neun smiles and little as he pushes himself up to sitting. “It suited you.”

 “I’m glad there are some looks I can pull off better than you. It’s rare.”

 “There are lots of great looks on you, X,” H-neun laughs.

 X-eins smiles back at H-neun. Charming as ever. How had it taken X-eins so long to realise these desires? How much he longed for H-neun? How could he have been so oblivious for so long? How could he not have seen it?

 

 “You’re kidding!” Yamada yells suddenly, head jerking between them.

 “What?” Watari says quietly, turning to him. “What is it?”

 “L-elf wasn’t kidding about the flirting,” he growls.

 H-neun laughs. “Flirting is flirting. It doesn’t bother me who.”

 “It bothers me,” X-eins mutters, adjusting his glasses. Watari smiles up at him shyly. “But Hano is rather shameless.”

 “You said entirely shameless the other day,” H-neun says with a huff. “I’m going to have to try harder.”

 “Please don’t,” he sighs. “You cause me enough trouble.”

 “Ah, you know I love it when you scold me.”

 “I’m starting to wonder about your perversions, Hano.”

 “Hey, I’m the perfect gentleman. Always.”

 “Hardly.”

 “There’s suddenly a lot of sexual tension in this room,” Inuzuka hisses.

 “Ya think?” Yamada growls.

 Watari seems obviously to the chatter around her, just smiling up at him warmly. Perhaps he does understand H-neun’s liking of flirting and dating. It is interesting, to have someone gazing at him with such infatuation and adoration. Even if it is based on nothing but her ideals of attraction. And, really, it is nothing compared to they way H-neun looks at him, but it’s warm all the same.

 

 It’s a long night. Not that they’re not used to it. Guard duty is always hard. Watari stays with them a lot. The pilots poke and prod with a few questions, searching for all sorts of information. Maybe an answer to whether they’re trustworthy. Maybe just an answer whether they’re monsters or not. X-eins isn’t entirely sure himself anyway.

 X-eins isn’t entirely sure why they’re hiding their relationship either. When they’re called to the bridge with the others to go over the plan, their hands are clasped behind them, out of sight of the students. He’s not sure why. It just feels sort of right not to be flaunting it. It’s not really any of their business, is it? They don’t have to know everything about them, right?

 “We’ll be arriving at our destination by the end of the day,” L-elf informs them. “The blizzards have been causing problems with our schedules and the royalists’, however we will be proceeding as planned when the weather allowed. They have provided us with transport. We will move vital equipment and supplies to the transports provided and head into Dorssiana the next day.” He glances over at H-neun and X-eins. “I will explain your roles and what I require of you after.”

 They nod and L-elf brings up a map of Dorssiana. The plan is simple. They’ll going back to the moon. He and H-neun are going to the moon. To Module 77. H-neun squeezes his hand gently. This feels like it’s got bad news written all over it. It’s a simple plan, if it works. Even so, X-eins can’t shake the feeling there’s something wrong in the air. Maybe it’s just the weather.

 “I assume you’ve been waiting impatiently to see them,” L-elf says, when it’s just them and the pilots. They nod and L-elf smiles. “Come then. I’ll grant your wish.”

 

 L-elf ignores the complaints from Inuzuka and Yamada and leads the way to the hangar. They follow silently until finally the doors open and they’re shown the robots that have been tormenting them for months now. The Valvraves. Even half battered from their fight with the Kirshbaum, there’s something strangely ghostly about them. Magical and awe inspiring. Like a spell cast over them. Knowing what they do now, perhaps they are magical. Perhaps it is a spell.

 “I assume you heard everything, Renbokoji Akira,” L-elf calls.

 “...yes...” comes a quiet voice from the purple Valvrave.

 “That’s the hacking one?” X-eins says.

 L-elf nods and H-neun turns to gaze up at the Valvrave. “Hello, Miss Hacker. We nearly met once before. You hacked my drill.”

 “That was you?!” Yamada yells, grabbing H-neun’s collar. H-neun just rolls his eyes. “Lots of people died in that poison gas!”

 “That is the point of poison gas,” X-eins says.

 “You-”

 H-neun knocks his feet from beneath him as he lunges for X-eins. Not that he’s bothered. He’s sure he could handle someone as roughly trained as Yamada but it’s nice that H-neun will protect him to such an extent.

 “H-neun and X-eins will be working with us from now on,” L-elf says.

 “Right…” Renbokoji says. “...hi…”

 “What do you think?” he says, turning to them.

 “They’re a bit battered,” X-eins says.

 “That was you two!” Yamada snaps.

 “Yamada,” Tokishima and Inuzuka sigh.

 

 H-neun and X-eins glance at each other before L-elf gestures for them to do as they wish. They head up the maintenance platforms without any further hesitation, and X-eins thinks H-neun might have made a beeline for the yellow Valvrave on purpose but says nothing. These are the hangars that would have once held their Ideals. It’s strange to see them used for enemy machines.

 “What are they doing?” Tokishima says quietly from below them.

 “Why are you letting them see the Valvraves?” Inuzuka says.

 “Well?” L-elf calls up.

 “L-elf?” Tokishima snaps.

 “It sheared the arm right off,” X-eins says quietly, inspecting the broken arm of Valvrave III.

 “Snapped the armour too,” H-neun agrees. X-eins glances over. He’s standing on the rails and leaning on the Valvrave for balance. “Imagine what a direct hit to the cockpit would do.”

 “Bifurcation, likely,” he replies.

 H-neun nods, jumping back off the rails and heading around to the other side. “That’d be messy.”

 “Incredibly.”

 “I wonder if one of those vampire creeps would survive that.” Yamada is yelling something about them tampering with his Valvrave and H-neun is smirking, looking over the far too many arms on the robot. “JIORans certainly don’t do minimalist, do they?”

 “More is more does seem to be their favoured approach,” X-eins says.

 “H-neun? X-eins?” L-elf calls once more. The pair lean over the rails, gazing down at them. “What do you think?”

 “Is there any point asking us?” H-neun replies. “I’m sure you’ve come to the same conclusion already.”

 “You agree then?” he says. “The entire section will need replacing. Can’t be done in the field.”

 “Not unless you have an entire workshop and parts here,” X-eins says and he’s sure H-neun says something about not being surprised if he had. “I’m sure the three of us could manage if you had the supplies needed, it doesn’t look like there’s any damage to the engine, that would beyond our expertise, but we could almost certainly fix up the arms without specialist knowledge. The Kirschbaum is augmented with Valvrave technology but we certainly didn’t expect to do so much with a single shot.”

 “What was it?”

 “Lowenglitzen,” he replies. “It comes direct from the Kirschbaum's energy core itself and drops power levels to near zero, requiring the power pack to be replaced.”

 “That’s why you couldn’t move and took damage in that battle?” Inuzuka says. “Why you had to be protected.”

 “Correct.”

 

 “What’s going on, L-elf?” Tokishima says.

 “Karlstein students are all trained in engineering,” L-elf replies.

 “Is there anything you guys aren’t trained in?” Yamada says.

 “Very little,” he says, as though it was a genuine question. “Imagine, you’re shot down behind enemy lines, or worse, a wasteland area with nothing but you robot and the emergency supplies inside. Your robot become your shelter. Your lifeline. If you can get the engine running, you can have heat. If you can get the comms working, you can call for help. The more you can repair your robot by yourself, the greater your chance of survival.”

 “We are considered elite agents for a reason,” X-eins says. He glances at the pilots before switching to their own language, hopefully locking the JIORans out the conversation as they wander along the catwalks to Valvrave V. “ _Were you involved in A-drei’s plans for revolution?_ ”

 L-elf frowns. The look on the pilot’s faces makes it obvious his hunch was right. They have no idea how to speak their language. Wonderful. H-neun is grinning, investigating the large shields, prodding the area that they had nearly melted. It’s rehardened and seems strong again, but it’s an interesting development. A sustained blast, or a direct hit from the Lowenglitzen, could do what no other weapon so far had managed; breaking through the blue Valvrave’s defences.

 “ _You were aware of that?_ ” L-elf says after a moment.

 “ _Cain had me investigate A-drei. We suspect you always intended to bring us to your side._ ”

 “ _You wouldn’t be wrong. Interesting that you could realise A-drei and I were planning a revolution but completely missed that your own best friend and lover was involved in the same._ ”

 “ _We weren’t lovers at the time,_ ” H-neun calls as if that’s useful input. L-elf smirks. “ _You shot A-drei_.”

 “ _You are aware of the ability to change bodies, correct?_ ”

 H-neun turns and glares down at L-elf. “ _You’re telling me one of those vampires had control of your body and made you shoot A-drei?!_ ”

 “ _You’re aware that the pilots are Magius, are you not? Tokishima Haruto was the first of those pilots, and I confronted him alone that day. When you found me, was his body not lying unconscious next to mine? He was taken into custody and didn’t wake again until we were reunited. So his consciousness was returned to his own body._ ”

 “ _Then Tokishima Haruto shot A-drei,_ ” X-eins summises.

 

 “How nice to be able to have an argument in a language we can’t understand,” Inuzuka says.

 “It’s kinda nice to see someone talking back to him,” Tokishima says quietly. “These two can actually argue on his level.”

 “Come down here,” L-elf says. “Come, H-neun. I’ll prove my innocence to you, since we’re allies again now.”

 “No,” X-eins says as H-neun steps forward. It’s a firm order and H-neun freezes. L-elf lifts his head and X-eins meets his gaze calmly. “There’s no need for anything like that. As you say, we’re allies and you’ve already offered us a reasonable explanation. I see no need to debate the subject further, or offer any more proof.”

 L-elf smiles. X-eins doesn’t like that look at all. “Very well.”

 X-eins turns away, giving H-neun’s wrist a demanding tug, making his orders clear without a word. They move across the catwalks towards the girls’ Valvrave. The purple one is the furthest thing from subtle.

 “So, these things emit a jamming frequency or something,” H-neun muses, poking the green protrusions.

 “It’s a fascinating design,” X-eins says softly before raising his voice to address the pilot. “You must be incredibly skilled, even so. Hacking is not easy.”

 “Aren’t you trained in that too?” Yamada sneers.

 “Enough to outwit most basic security features,” L-elf replies. “Another area X-eins rather excels in. He was the one who bypassed Module 77’s security during the invasion.”

 “That… was you…?” Renbokoji says.

 X-eins glances up at the robot. “It was basic military security. They’re all much a muchness.”

 

 “You’ll be pleased to know I already have plans for the two of you when we return to Module 77,” L-elf calls up. H-neun leans over the rails as X-eins goes to inspect that loathsome green Valvrave. “We have a lot of work to do to turn the students into a country that can truly stand on its own. Particularly from a military standpoint. We will need to constantly improve our technology and military capabilities to keep up with Dorssia and ARUS. The two of you will prove vital in those plans.”

 “How so?” X-eins says.

 “You two will need to work with those I’ve deemed of military importance. Particularly the pilots, H-neun.”

 H-neun nods. “They’re not bad, but technically, they’re all over the place.”

 “My thoughts exactly. Were it not for the Valvrave’s superior capabilities that have allowed us to stay ahead this far.”

 “Hey, are you saying we’re no good as pilots?!” Yamada yells.

 X-eins rolls his eyes, moving over to lean in the rails next to H-neun, glaring down at them. Yamada is glaring back at them and, to be honest, X-eins is getting a little bored of his constantly scornful attitude towards them when they’ve done nothing but be civil.

 “You are amateurs,” he says, adjusting his glasses. “While we have been trained for years. Any one of us in a Valvrave could easily outpace you and bring this war to an end. Look at how soundly you were defeated by Cain in a broken Valvrave.”

 “Get down here and say that to my face, you Dorssian bastards!” he yells.

 X-eins sighs and then H-neun is moving. He slides down the ladder back to the ground floor. L-elf talks to Yamada quietly, but he doesn’t seem to be talking him down. In fact it makes him grin. X-eins doesn’t like that look. He heads down the ladder as H-neun stops in front of L-elf. Yamada is keeping a distance, apparently having finally learnt that H-neun is not an opponent he can beat. Or following whatever worrying orders L-elf has given him.

 “Hano, enough,” X-eins snaps. “It’s not worth it.”

 “Not worth it?” Yamada snarls.

 “Teach you brats some manners, L-elf,” H-neun says. “Before we do the job for you. You want a military, start with their minds.”

 

 Suddenly, L-elf swings for H-neun. It’s not elegant or effective, H-neun is better than to be hit by such a lazy shot, but X-eins steps forward, reaching for his pistol only to remember they’ve been disarmed.

 “ _If you interfere I will shoot him, X-eins,_ ” L-elf snaps.

 “ _What are you trying to prove L-elf?!_ ” X-eins demands.

 H-neun pushes back, obviously getting wound up and too excited. L-elf knows exactly how H-neun moves though, just like with all of them. He’s spent a long time watching them and reading them, understanding how they move and how best to use them. He already knows all H-neun’s moves. He knows how to beat him. And sure enough, soon L-elf has thrown H-neun to the ground.

 H-neun sets his jaw, obviously about to twist and kick L-elf in the face, something far too many of his opponents got from approaching and thinking they’d won. Only, of course, L-elf already knows that; he heel slams down on H-neun’s injured shoulder and X-eins jerk forward to help at his pained cry, only to stop at L-elf’s fingers drumming against his pistol. _Damn it!_ And annoyingly he doesn’t doubt L-elf’s word for a second. He will hurt H-neun if he interferes.

 And then Yamada is on H-neun, on his knees over H-neun’s chest. H-neun draws his good arm back but L-elf just as quickly slams his heel into H-neun’s wrist to hold him down.

 “ _L-elf, what the fuck?!_ ” H-neun yells.

 “Yamada, knock it off,” Inuzuka snaps.

 “No way,” Yamada says with a grin. He jerks H-neun’s head back and rips open his collar. “I’m gonna enjoy this bastard’s body for a bit.”

 “ _Stop!_ ” X-eins yells. “ _L-elf, stop!_ ”

 “You must be stressed,” L-elf says. “You can’t even find the JIORan tongue, can you? Your concern for him is as touching as ever.”

 “ _Call him off, L-elf! Stop him!_ ”

 H-neun is trembling and panting, face twisted in pain and a heavy silence hangs in the air. X-eins can’t do a thing and H-neun is pinned and in pain. He doesn’t even know what L-elf is going to let Yamada do to H-neun. What’s X-eins supposed to do if he can’t even figure out what L-elf is trying to get from this?! The students are Magius, right? If they just want to feed why do it like this?

 “ _Stop him_ ,” X-eins says, voice tight and hoarse. “ _L-elf, let him go._ ”

 “L-elf, that’s enough,” Tokishima calls. “Yamada, enough!”

 “It’s _Thunder_!”

 “ _I don’t care what it is!_ ” H-neun yells, apparently as unable to even think of any language but their own when in so much pain. “ _My pride isn’t letting some kid get the better of me!_ ”

 He slams his knee into Yamada’s back at an awful angle, knocking him forward with a yelp. They collapse into a heap on top of each other and X-eins would give anything for a gun to teach L-elf a lesson for screwing with him and H-neun!

 

 After a long moment of silence, H-neun groans and L-elf steps away. Yamada is rolled off, apparently having actually knocked himself out when H-neun jolted him forward. He must have hit the ground hard. H-neun gets to his feet slowly, gazing down at Yamada before rolling his bad shoulder with a pained groan.

 “Hano?” X-eins calls softly, drawing his gaze. He glances at L-elf who turns away, hand moving away from his pistol, leaving X-eins free to approach. Whatever he wanted to prove with that little scuffle, apparently he was satisfied. “ _Hano, are you alright?_ ”

 He reaches for H-neun’s shoulder but H-neun pushes his hands away. “ _Don’t touch me. Shit, L-elf, did you have to be so rough?_ ”

 “Given I can kill you near instantly, you should be grateful I was holding back,” L-elf replies.

 H-neun gazes down at his hands for a moment, flexing his fingers, before his hand goes to his shoulder with a hiss and several colourful curses. X-eins moves his hand gently, completely ignoring his protests and working his fingers over the bone lightly for any sign L-elf had made the damage worse.

 “ _Idiot, why do you have to get so worked up?_ ” he mutters. H-neun is staring down at him. “ _You could have made things worse. We could have had to spend weeks more trying to get you fully healed._ ” He goes to shove X-eins away but X-eins catches his wrist and pushes it away. “ _Don’t._ ”

 He straightens up and X-eins glares furiously. He’s such an idiot. H-neun is gazing back at him in a strange way. It’s complicated look X-eins can’t quite make sense of. There’s heavy silence before H-neun pulls him in kisses him. There’s something weird about it. The kids are murmuring between each other. Something very weird is going on. He pushes H-neun away slowly and frowns up at him. H-neun gazes back silently as X-eins tries to figure it out.

 Finally, he opens his mouth, but H-neun cuts him off. “Let’s go somewhere quieter.”

 He grasps X-eins’ wrist and pulls him away from the hangar. X-eins scowls at his back, hearing Tokishima and Inuzuka worrying about letting them just leave but L-elf reassures them quietly, something X-eins can’t quite make out. But it keeps them reassured and they let them leave. X-eins watching H-neun’s back curiously. There’s something strange going on, definitely.

 

 H-neun shoves him into X-eins into one of the sleeping quarters - it’s private, probably belonged to an officer - and locks the door behind them. X-eins yanks his wrist from H-neun’s grip, watching him carefully. There’s definitely something wrong with him. He’s watching him oddly still.

 “What’s wrong?” X-eins says softly. “Sit on the bed, let me look at you.”

 H-neun sits on the bed, waiting him warily. He’s not sure what he’s done to deserve that look, but he smiles, undoing his jacket and pulling to away to have a look at his shoulder. It looks bruised again, but not to much else. He’s glad.

 “You’re going to be ok, I think,” he says with a small smile.

 “I’m going to live then,” H-neun replies. X-eins frowns a little. He’s definitely behaving oddly. He’s still looking at him with that weird look X-eins can’t decipher. “You’re weirdly pretty.”

 X-eins’ cheeks warm and he glances away, tucking his hair absently behind his ear. “Thank you. I think.”

 H-neun turns away, getting up and moving across the room to lean against the desk. He really is behaving strangely. X-eins stands slowly and joins him at the desk, hands resting against the desk either side of him. H-neun stares back at him as he leans in. He really is so flighty all of a sudden.

 “What’s wrong, Hano?” X-eins whispers. H-neun’s gaze flickers down to his lips and X-eins smiles. “You’re so obvious. Go on then. I’ll let you.”

 H-neun jerks away and stalks off. Really? H-neun’s going to be like that? X-eins sighs, pulling himself up to sit on the desk and watching H-neun lean against the door, glaring at his hands. What’s wrong with him? He glances up at last, biting his lip hard.

 “Instincts are weird,” he mutters. X-eins tilts his head and H-neun turns away. “Stop that.”

 “What?”

 “Looking like that.” X-eins frowns. He can’t really help how he looks. “It makes me wanna kiss you.”

 “You kissed me in the hangar.”

 “I didn’t mean to do that.”

 “I should hope not. You’re well aware of my position on such public displays.” H-neun’s cheeks turn pink and he turns his glare back to his hands. X-eins sighs and gets off the desk, leaning close once more. “We’re in private now, Hano. If you want to, just do it. I don’t mind right now.”

 He leans in, pressing their lips together lightly. H-neun stiffens for a moment and X-eins pulls back slowly, giving him a little space. Whatever’s going on, he’s not going to upset H-neun. For a moment, they just watch each other silently before H-neun groans and shakes his head.

 

 “Fuck it, I guess once can’t hurt.”

 He pulls him in and kisses him roughly. Far rougher than he ever does. He pulls X-eins around and shoves him around against the door. Suddenly, H-neun is entirely different. He keeps X-eins pinned. All X-eins thoughts about how despite H-neun’s superior strength he always yielded to him are in the forefront of his mind once more. H-neun had been acting strangely since his fight with Yamada Raizo. He’s been talking about instinct. Now he’s acting so strangely.

 The students are Magius!

 X-eins shoves at his shoulders and the fake H-neun pulls open his collar, kissing along his neck. And when X-eins goes to shove at his bad shoulder, he’s pinned against his door again. Damn it, how’s he supposed to overpower H-neun like this?! Instinct. He said it was instinct making him want to do this. The Magius still had all of the possessed body’s instincts.

 Fine. X-eins sets his jaw and swallows his pride before letting out a purposefully pained gasp. H-neun’s body stiffens instantly in response. If there’s one thing H-neun could never resist, it was protecting him from everything. He would never hurt him. He couldn’t. It isn’t possible.

 “Hano, please,” he whimpers in his ear. “You’re hurting me.” He jerks back to stare at X-eins, who narrows his eyes, raising his voice to something far more commanding and cold. “Yamada Raizo, I suggest you take your hands off of me and explain yourself.”


	17. Cross Roads

 X-eins groans as he comes to slowly. He’s lying in a bed. An actually soft, comfortable bed. With a mattress. A big bed. He has space and he’s wrapped up in the duvet. For a moment, everything is completely blank. He can’t remember how he ended up here or what’s going on. For a blissful moment, he could be back in his own bed.

 Finally, he opens his eyes. It’s dark and silent for a moment. X-eins blinks slowly, trying to get some sense from his blurred visions. That’s right. It’s an officer’s quarters. H-neun had pulled him in after his fight with Yamada Raizo. He pauses and frowns. No, not H-neun. Yamada in H-neun’s body!

 “Hano…” 

 X-eins struggles to get himself up but his body won’t respond. He needs to find H-neun. He needs to make sure it was just a terrible nightmare. There’s no way he’s letting one of L-elf’s children take his H-neun from him. Not now! He’s not losing H-neun like this!

 But his body is so heavy and unresponsive. Some Magius spell? Magic? Or good old fashion drugs? Whatever it is, it’s not normal. He growls to himself in frustration, forcing himself up. Every movement is a battle but he’s not an elite for no reason. His body  _ will _ move as he wants. He’s fought this far to ensure that his body is his. He will not lose control of his own body of all things, not like this. Not while H-neun is at risk. 

 

 The door opens and L-elf strides in. X-eins almost collapses back to the bed at the momentary lapse in focus, but he manages to keep himself upright.

 “Where is he?” he hisses. “What have you done to me? Hano-”

 “Enough,” L-elf says, raising a hand for silence. “I understand you concern-”

 “You let your pilot kill Hano-”

 “Think X-eins,” he says calmly, apparently not bothered by X-eins’ anger. “I know you’re angry and confused and still struggling with effects of the drugs, but you are better than this. You are trained to be better than this. Control yourself and think. I would never lose such an important asset, let alone allow Yamada Raizo, of all people, to have his body. No, I’d be much more likely to give him to someone like Rukino Saki, if I had those intentions.”

 “You-”

 “I was possessed by Tokishima Haruto. I have been several times. And I have told you such already.” X-eins frowns. He supposes, now he thinks about it, he has mentioned being possessed by Tokishima. “There seem to be differences between the group of Magius you encountered and the ones here. Cain said they were a different generation. The students jacking your body is completely reversible and harmless.”

 “Then- then Hano is-”

 “Alive and awake and eager to see you too, if a little groggy.”

 “Let me see him.”

 “Once I’ve talked with you. Sit.” X-eins wrinkles his nose and sits slowly, he doesn’t have much choice. “I also have you glasses, by the way. It’s easier to deal with you when you’re vulnerable.”

 “I assumed they’d just fallen somewhere.”

 “You should take better care of them,” L-elf says, pulling out a chair. “Feel free to lie down and relax. We’ve known each other a long time, I’ve seen you in all conditions, I won’t be offended. The sedatives we get you were very strong. The effects will take time. Feel free.”

 X-eins glares at his shape for a moment before deciding he is a little woozy still. Without any risk to H-neun’s life, it’s alright. He lies down and curls up under the covers once more. He’s sure L-elf looks smug as anything, but doesn’t say anything. He’ll let L-elf explain what he wants.

 

 “I want you to explain to me more about this council,” L-elf says at last.

 “I don’t know much,” X-eins replies. 

 “You have the same training I do, X-eins,” he say. “And I mind nearly as quick as mine. You know a lot more than you’re thinking about right now, you’ve just been too distracted to think clearly. That’s why I wanted you like this and away from H-neun for a bit. You’re rested and thinking with nothing to distract you. Let’s start from the start. Explain what happened as clearly as possible, then I will start working on details.”

 “After the battle at Karlstein, I received a message that Cain wanted to meet me at the manor at Grünau-”

 “Was that the day the volcano eruption?”

 X-eins frowns. “Yes.”

 “Interesting. We were right below you the entire time. It seems we’ve been running near parallel. Continue.”

 “I went to Grünau that night as requested,” X-eins says. “I was mad at H-neun. He was warning me not to go, then got sulky when I said I was going to anyway. It was childish-”

 “That’s not entirely relevant.”

 “Fine. I was presented with a room full of men in black robes and Cain. He called me in, told me it was a great honour. That I’d been chosen for a great honour. He introduced them as the Council of 101. The most powerful men and women in the world, controlling everything from the shadows.”

 “Did you recognise any of them?”

 “No. They all had their faces covered but Cain. H-neun said he encountered the Fuhrer though.”

 L-elf nods thoughtfully. “Continue.”

 “He told me I was chosen to join them, made it sound like an apprenticeship. Continuing my learning. They said Karlstein was the sort of place that had proved useful for cultivating what they needed. One of them said that their body had grown old and weak. They wanted strong, young bodies to keep the council working. Apparently Cain had promised him a young intellectual.”

 “You. Or rather, you body.” X-eins glares at him weakly.  _ No, you, _ he wants to say, but holds himself back. L-elf shifts, almost uncomfortably, as if reading his mind already. “Go on.”

 “They say theid were going to begin a ritual. Pomp and circumstance because they’re an ancient council. Cain restrained me and the councilor opened up my shirt. He said I shouldn't be afraid. That I was raised for it. That he was glad I bought the lie until the very end so I didn’t have to suffer more than necessary! And then that thing stuck its fangs in me!”

 X-eins hadn’t meant to be so upset by the situation and explaining it, Karlstein agents are taught to control their emotions. He shouldn’t be upset since he’s fine, he got out of it and he’s recovered. He should focus on the job at hand. But saying it outloud has just got him riled up for some reason. Brought back all the pain and suffering and fear. Just like it’s happening all over again. 

 He rolls over away from L-elf and pulls the covers up. Everything that’s happened, everything he’s done and it’s this that’s got him such a mess. 

 “I was dying,” he whispers, closing his eyes. “I was in pain and I could feel myself dying and he said he was glad I was taking it so well.”

 

 “I’m sorry,” L-elf says. X-eins turns to gaze back at him. That is not something he thought he’d hear from L-elf. Not in a situation like this. He can’t make out his face, but there’s a strange sense of honesty in his words. “You went through something traumatic and were betrayed by the man who has all but raised you, who you idolised. I can understand why you’re finding this difficult.”

 X-eins frowns, swallowing down his emotions to focus on the matter at hand. “You really have changed.”

 “Perhaps. I assume H-neun saved.”

 “He shot them. Pulled me away at the last moment. We were both exhausted but it was enough. We managed to escape.”

 “You managed to escape Cain?” L-elf says, sound almost impressed.

 “Not so much,” X-eins says with a heavy sigh. “He admits we got the better of him the first night, and that our choice of hide out the second night was so awful and against all common sense and protocol that no one but him even considered it. And he almost didn’t. But he’s also been throwing us chances. He wanted us to meet you.”

 “To get in here and destroy the module? You’ve been sent to assassinate me knowing the module will be useless without me?”

 “No,” he says. He supposes there’s no harm letting L-elf having knowledge the entire situation. Cain knows everything. If they have any hope of a future in Module 77, he needs to know everything too. “We’re to capture you alive.”

 “That is far trickier than simply shooting me,” L-elf muses.

 “You’re the one they wanted.” L-elf says nothing and X-eins smiles bitterly. “I was the second choice. You were the one who was to become a vessel for the council. We’re to take you home to face your fate to save ourselves.”

 “Is that so?” he murmurs. There’s a pause before L-elf shifts a little. “Your relationship with H-neun, explain it to me.”

 “I’m sorry?” X-eins hisses.

 “I am commander of New JIOR’s forces,” L-elf says. “You are my prisoners now and soon my soldiers. It is my job to know the relationship between my forces. I know how the two of you work, it’s important I’m aware of any changes in that relationship. Kriemhild seemed very concerned about you two. I assume that’s because you’re acting up so, should your mission fail, the royalists will still help H-neun. You can take the blame for all that’s happened and he will be safe. It’s very noble of you. So, has the working relationship changed?”

 “Not in any way I’ve noticed. We are still effective and capable.”

 “I saw the two of you together. How intimate have you become? And yes, this is necessary before you ask.”

 X-eins wrinkles his nose once more. “We’ve touched each other.”

 “Masturbation. Good. That’s the basis so I can tell when things are changing between you then.” This  _ definitely  _ isn’t necessary and does he really have to say it like that? There’s less privacy here than at home. L-elf stands and turns away. “What do the two of you intend to do? Take me in, or attempt life on Module 77?”

 “That depends entirely on whether it looks like you can defeat Cain or not, doesn’t it?” X-eins replies.

 L-elf chuckles. “I think I’d be disappointed if you said anything less. I’ll bring H-neun to you.”

 “L-elf,” he calls as L-elf moves. His shape pauses. “What are Runes? These things Cain said they feed on? Do you know?”

 “Information particles.”

 “What does that mean?”

 “Memories, emotions, senses-”

 “Memories?”

 L-elf turns to him fully. “Are you having memory problems?” 

 “H-neun and I… we’re starting to lose our childhood memories,” X-eins murmurs. “He can’t remember his parents. Nothing before coming to our town. He wasn’t lying about about not being able to remember life in the city. And I can’t remember anything before he arrived.”

 “Such a specific point in time,” L-elf muses. “That is unlikely to be a coincidence.”

 “I brushed it off as normal to be missing early childhood memories,” he sighs. “I didn’t tell him I can’t remember before that day either. I didn’t want to worry him but…” He shakes his head a little. “My life was empty before he arrived in it. There’s no point remembering anything before him.”

 “If that’s what you need to tell yourself. Thank you for informing me. This is situation to be monitored. Inform me if it gets noticeably worse. You may be right. It is natural to lose early childhood memories, but it should be monitored nonetheless.”

 “Umm...” L-elf shifts impatiently and X-eins frowns. “A-drei told me about H-neun’s parents. He said it was you who told him, although I not you told your students you didn’t know about our families, but that’s unimportant. How did you-”

 “It was in his file,” L-elf says. “As team leader, I had access to redacted versions of your personnel files. A lot of it was easily deductible but a few pieces were interesting, such as your history with Cain-”

 “You never told A-drei?”

 “He’s too soft hearted. He’d blame himself. Knowing what happened to the two of you, A-drei would feel a sense of responsibility. He always felt a rather illogical guilt over the hatred the pair of you bore towards royalists. That he was privileged just to have your trust despite being a prince. He considered your accepting him as an honour. He cared a lot about what you and H-neun thought of him.”

 X-eins frowns a little. He had certainly started to get that impression from their time with him in the car. He sighs and glances away. Perhaps he can understand what L-elf means. A-drei probably saw his and H-neun’s acceptance of him, despite being a royal, as a sign of how much their friendship meant.

 “Knowing what makes you hate them so much will only make him suffer more guilt,” L-elf says. “It would make him harder to deal with.”

 “Is that all?” X-eins murmurs. 

 “That’s all.” L-elf shifts, almost uncomfortably. He really has changed. “You and H-neun, you have been used by a cause since you were young. Forgive me, but I intend to do the same.” 

 “What?”

 “I’ll fetch H-neun.”

 

 He walks away, leaving into X-eins to lie in bed. Trying to make sense of L-elf’s cryptic messages won’t get him anywhere. That L-elf feels the need to apologise is troubling enough. So he has no really option but to set that aside for now and try to remember exactly what was going on to land him up in this state. He sighs, glaring up at the ceiling. A lot of it is a blur. How long has he even been out? In the stillness, he can’t hear the engines, so they’ve stopped, but they’re still being buffered by snow and winds. The weather must be interfering with the plans. That’s ok though. That keeps their enemies from finding them too. 

 So, X-eins tries to start from the beginning of this mess. Yamada Raizo had possessed H-neun’s body, had seemed confused and conflicted by H-neun’s feels for him. Weirdly pretty, he’d said. He’d seemed awkward and confused by their kisses until he finally figured it out. And then he seemed to make sense of things. The tentativeness was gone and he was strong and rough. H-neun’s weight and strength advantage had been become more obvious than ever under Yamada’s control. And then-

 Then it’s blank.

 X-eins can’t reach anything. He sighs and closes his eyes, arms folded over his face. And even that is quite the effort. But he’s undressed and lying in bed having been drugged. Obviously something more had happened. He feels sore and bruised. What would he have done knowing someone else had taken possession of his H-neun? Probably shot him if he had a gun. 

 

 The door opens and X-eins pulls his arms away, expecting to see H-neun and L-elf. But instead, it’s Yamada Raizo again. He can tell by the bright orange in his blurred vision. X-eins scowls and runs tilts his head back. He can’t really do much in this situation but he’s not going to just lie here and let him sneer.

 “Here to try and take advantage of me again?”

 “Like I’m that desperate I gotta take advantage of a guy who could barely move,” Yamada replies.

 “Without H-neun’s body, I’d kill you before you could lay a hand on me,” X-eins says.

 “Don’t worry, I’m staying over here,” he sneers, leaning against the desk. “You two might as well be rabid dogs without L-elf to hold you back. Or maybes cages animals suits you better.”

 X-eins smiles back. “You would heal, of course, if you’d like to come over and say that to my face.” 

 “You really are just animals.”

 “That’s what Dorssia made us. Their Perfect Army. Nothing more than wild beasts waiting to be uncaged and set upon whatever poor hovel stood in our path. You’re playing with fire, Yamada Raizo. You will get burned. We are what happens when you raise children to know nothing but death.”

 “You’re totally fucked up,” Yamada snarls. 

 “Inelegant, but accurate,” X-eins replies.

 “And for the record, you agreed,” he says. “I didn’t take advantage of anything. It’s not my fault you don’t remember after L-elf drugged you. And it was weird.”

 “You did seem rather put out by the strength of H-neun’s attraction,” he says with a small smile. It’s rather flattering that H-neun feels so strongly for him. “Not something you’re used to?”

 “I’ve never looked at another guy like that before.” X-eins smirks a little. He can tell. “It was weird.”

 “You keep saying that.”

 “Because it was. You’ve got this weird, soft pretty thing going on and he’s really into you. Like, fuck, just being around you makes him horny. And then you do the smirky thing and you have no idea how much he made me want to jump you. Your boyfriend is a horny mess.”

 “That was your fault for possessing him,” X-eins mutters. “Do you look at me differently now?”

 “Is that how it works?” Yamada says, jerking his head aside.

 “You’re the Magius, you tell me,” he replies. “Do you inherit the instincts and feelings of those you’ve possessed? Beyond that, L-elf tells me you’re a different subspecies to the ones we’ve already encountered. This is new territory for us all.” He shrugs and tilts his head, gazing over at Yamada with a smirk. “Well, here’s the question then; do you still find me weirdly pretty? Do you still secretly want to kiss me? Or have you left those feelings behind with H-neun?”

 Yamada stiffens and there’s a few awkwardly aborted sentences in response, but not real sense.

 

 “How did I know I was going to find you here, Yamada Raizo?” L-elf calls, saving the poor boy. He’s striding in with Inuzuka and Tokishima helping H-neun behind him. “Don’t pester X-eins while he’s trying to recover.”

 “Yamada,” they both sigh.

 “It’s Thunder-”

 “You get the fuck out before I snap your neck,” H-neun snarls, obviously as drugged as him since Tokishima and Inuzuka can hold him back. “You-”

 “Hano, hush,” X-eins calls softly. H-neun finally turns to him and X-eins holds out his hand. “Come here.” 

 They release him and let H-neun sit on the bed as X-eins forces himself up once more. He wraps his arms gently around him, letting H-neun rest against his shoulder. The children watch them silently and X-eins smiles, petting his hair gently. 

 “I’m curious,” L-elf says, “what was it specifically that tipped you off to H-neun’s possession?”

 “He is my Hano,” X-eins replies. “I could never mistake him for long.”

 “Specifically, X-eins,” he repeats.

 “Your children pay no attention to their surroundings. Or what they’ve already been told.” He sighs and tips H-neun’s chin up with two fingers sliding along his jaw. H-neun is unresisting as ever, lips parting welcomingly and X-eins can’t help leaning in stealing a kiss. “He’s mine.”

 L-elf smirks and nods, turning away. “So he is. Always your faithful hound.” 

 “Huh?”

 Of course the kids are confused. That’s why it was so simple to tell who he really was. That he wasn’t his precious H-neun. L-elf herds them out and X-eins pushes H-neun gently back to the bed, leaning over him in indulge in his loving kisses a while longer. They would never understand his love for him. Not in a million years. 

 “Wait, I still don’t get it,” Yamada says as they’re pushed out. 

 “Bondie’s the girl,” Inuzuka whispers far too loudly.

 “That’s not how it works!” H-neun yells after them.

 X-eins smiles a little, cupping H-neun’s cheek to get his attention focused again. “Hush, sweetheart.”

 “We’ll give you two some time alone,” L-elf says, “since you’ve both been so cooperative.”

 “More likely so you can go through what we’ve told you,” H-neun says as the door shuts. He frowns and glances up at X-eins. “Sweetheart?”

 “Well,” X-eins says, tilting his head away. H-neuns laughs and draws him down once more. “You are incredibly sweet. That’s how I knew you weren’t you. You would never be so rough with me.”

 “Did he hurt you?”

 X-eins shakes his head. He doesn’t think so. He’s a little sore, but he knew H-neun’s instincts wouldn’t allow him to hurt him. He smiles and sits back a little, gently undoing H-neun’s uniform and pulling it from him. He wants to feel him again, not even exhaustion is going to stop that need. And once undressed, he pulls him under the covers and presses their bodies together. H-neun’s arms wrap slowly around him, encouraging him closer still. Something X-eins is all too happy to oblige him on. Even if L-elf is being a pain about it, their relationship isn’t going to change. This is just another extension of their friendship. They won’t fall apart. They won’t let anything interfere with their efficiency. It’s just strengthening their bond.

 Somehow, this is all he wants. Him and H-neun lying together like this, at peace and content, intimate and loving like there’s nothing wrong in the world. Everything that could have been - their military careers, their lives, their homes - seems to just fade into nothing when he’s pressed to H-neun like this. In the silence it’s easy to hear the students preparing for their mission. L-elf is keeping them in the dark as long as possible, it seems. X-eins can’t even bring himself to care. The pair of them lying together is the only thing he needs. It really is the most incredible feeling.

 

 “I don’t care if we never get to go home again,” H-neun whispers at last, finally breaking the comfortable silence. “As long as I have this, I’m happy. I wanna be with you forever.” 

 “You’re such a sap,” X-eins replies. “Of course, Yamada Raizo says you’re a horny mess, especially around me. Someone else who agrees with Kriemhild, it seems.”

 “I’m not going to deny it. You have an incredible effect on me. I’m just not myself around you. Besides, I think Yamada Raizo might have a bit of a crush on you.” X-eins laughs a little and pokes his chest. H-neun just laughs along. “Not like I blame him. You’re ridiculously hot, and it seems A-drei must be right about me liking JIORan culture too much. You certainly seem to have something that drives them into heat.”

 “You’re awful.” 

 “Hey. Once things are calmer, one way or the other, maybe we should experiment a little more, see what really gets you all hot and bothered.”

 “Why are we focusing on me?”

 “Because it’s not really a secret what gets me hot and bothered?”

 X-eins laughs softly and nods, drawing H-neun in for another kiss. He really is addictive and intoxicating. He could easily push H-neun back to the bed and indulge himself in him all over again.

 “How come you kept this secret from me?” X-eins whispers. “I never noticed you liked other men. You kept it from me. Why?”

 “Is that still bugging you?” H-neun sighs. “It’s just one of those things. I didn’t want to bother with things I wasn’t sure about. I didn’t make sense to me, how could you expect me to explain it to you and make sense.”

 “You were always with women. I never noticed.” H-neun laughs a little and X-eins narrows his eyes. “How did it not make sense?”

 “Ah, well,” H-neun laughs softly. “See, it’s not so much that I liked other guys as.... Well, I’ve been in love with this one guy for as long as I can remember. No one else was ever right.” X-eins’ bats his good shoulder lightly. “See, you always think I’m joking when I say things I mean.” X-eins frowns and H-neun smiles. “He was never ready though. I didn’t want to pressure him if he wasn’t ready. It’s not like I don’t like women, but I was just waiting for him.”

 “Maybe he always loved you too,” X-eins says, glancing away, “and wanted you too, but because you were always with women, he didn’t think you would be interested.”

 “Maybe. But I think I was giving him pretty heavy signals once he started to show signs of being ready to receive them.”

 “About as subtle as the Valvraves.”

 “And it still took so long.”

 “It wasn’t that different to how you normally are, Hano. Unbelievably flirty, inappropriate and with no sense of personal space. Particularly when I’m involved.”

 “That’s because I want to be close to you. Always.”

 X-eins frowns. “Hmm, you know the first time I thought about another boy-”

 “You’re starting to sound like Kriemhild,” H-neun huffs. “I am a man.”

 “He and I were both very much boys at the time,” X-eins replies. H-neun tilts his head and X-eins smiles back. “He and I were out in the snow, and I began to notice how much I wanted to cuddle into him. He was wearing that dumb winter uniform hat, it didn’t suit him at all, but he was pretty certain he looked amazing in everything.”

 “Obviously you have good taste.” He leans up, pressing a soft kiss to X-eins’ lips. “Taste pretty good too.”

 X-eins rolls his eyes, but wraps his arms loosely around H-neun’s shoulders anyway. “But for a long time, I’d adored him. I never really thought about it in great consideration, but I often found myself looking at him, drawn to him, appreciating him. Wanting more. I never really put too much weight on it, of course, but I’d sometimes have some rather childish fantasies about kisses and whispered declarations of love. But, of course, he was always surrounded by the most beautiful women. I always brushed off these feelings as nothing more than silly, childish fantasies and part of growing up and going through changes. And he was very handsome.”

 “And was he everything you wanted when you finally got him? Everything you dreamed of?”

 “Who says I ever won him over? You know, some loves are doomed to be unrequited for eternity.” H-neun wrinkles his nose and X-eins laughs warmly. “Everything and more.”

 

 H-neun beams and X-eins draws him into a sweet, tender kiss. Looking back, it’s so obvious what they truly felt for one another, and for how long. A bond so strong they had become each other’s world. His fingers tangle into H-neun’s hair, drawing him in, wanting to feel H-neun closer still. H-neun’s hands slide down against his side and X-eins groans softly. He really can never get enough of H-neun. It’ll never be enough. He’ll always need more of his H-neun.

 “Are we going to take L-elf back to Cain and go home? Or are we going to defeat Cain and live on Module 77?” X-eins murmurs. “Which would make you happiest?”

 H-neun frowns. “I don’t care. Let’s be honest, we’re playing this by ear. We both know the odds of survive this are slim either way. I just want to be with you while I can.” 

 “We’re going to  make a life for ourselves outside of the military,” he promises, stroking his cheeks gently. “We’re going to be together forever. Just like we always promised, no matter how we have to do it. Now I have you, I won’t give you up for anything!”

 H-neun stares at him for a moment before cupping X-eins’ face and kissing him breathless. X-eins means it. He won’t surrender H-neun for anything now. He wouldn’t have before. He’d have done all he could to protect him, no matter how he seemed to be failing at it. But now, X-eins knows he can never let him go. Nothing is ever going to make him stray from H-neun’s side again.

 X-eins slowly rolls, pushing H-neun over onto his back and leaning into his body once more. H-neun’s hands press against his back, encouraging him closer and X-eins presses against him further, lips pressing slowly along his neck. 

 “Do you wanna do it?” H-neun pants. 

 X-eins blinks down at H-neun, a little confused for a moment before it dawns on him.  _ Oh. _ H-neun glances away, looking a little sheepish, and X-eins smiles nervously.

 “I’m not sure,” he replies after a moment. H-neun lifts his gaze back to his and nods a little. “I think… when it feels right, it’ll be the right time. If the situation leads us there, it’ll be the right time and it’ll be natural and perfect, I’m sure.”

 H-neun nods and X-eins is glad that he understands. “So, did you ever… think about which one of us would… you know...”

 “Maybe.” It’s not like H-neun to be so shy, X-eins thinks. He smiles and shakes his head a little. “Not really though. I think… that’s another matter of whatever feels right at the time.”

 

 The door opens and X-eins pulls back, turning slowly as L-elf returns with his male pilots. H-neun huffs and lies back in the pillows. He does have the worst sense of timing. Perhaps that’s just his way of doing things. He wants to get between them.That’d be just like him. 

 L-elf stops in front of the bed, both glaring furiously at him. They might not care if the JIORan students know about their relationship either way, but for L-elf to simply let them into what is an intimate, private moment isn’t fair. Of course, he ignores their glaring and hands X-eins his glasses to put on. L-elf is smiling back at them in a way that promises something they’re not going to like. 

 “H-neun is still not entirely recovered from his injury,” L-elf says finally. “We cannot risk further damage to his shoulder by sending him on unnecessarily dangerous missions. The two of you are valuable.”

 “I’m fine,” H-neun snaps. “I can do what needs doing.”

 L-elf shakes his head. “I would rather hold you in reserve for when I need you. The Valvraves have been managing so far, however, the Kirschbaum have proven that Cain and Dorssia have begun to catch up.”

 “We’ll just keep kicking their asses no matter what they bring!” Yamada growls.

 “They melted our shields, blew off half of the Nobu Lightning,” Inuzuka replies. “And cost us Marie.”

 “We’re not good enough,” Tokishima says, eyes narrowed thoughtfully.

 “You’re correct,” L-elf says. “If any of us were capable of piloting a Valvrave this war would be over swiftly and violently.” X-eins knows H-neun would give anything to try out a Valvrave. X-eins certainly wouldn’t mind. “Your piloting is improving constantly, but you’re not at the level of H-neun and I.”

 “I feel I should insulted,” X-eins says. “You consider H-neun more valuable than I am.”

 “I’m insulted he thinks he’s not the same level as me,” H-neun mutters.

 “You’re too linear, X-eins, I believe I’ve told you this before,” he replies. “In both your piloting and your thinking. You need to be more flexible. H-neun is far more valuable as a pilot. However, objectively, overall, you are more valuable; you are a capable pilot, a sound strategist and as a Karlstein graduate, you are above average in all areas. Being the weakest in combat and piloting compared to Karlstein’s most prestigious children is nothing to be ashamed of.”

 “I don’t think I’m the weakest pilot of the group, and definite not in combat. Q-vier is technically awful and only makes up for it in sheer enthusiasm.”

 “It’s fine. Those are, conveniently enough, the areas where H-neun excels. Conversely, H-neun’s strategies lack forethought, he fails to consider backup plans for worst case scenarios, and his aim is often off target when requiring precision and speed.”

 “I’m a fine shot,” H-neun snaps. 

 “Fine, yes. But you’re not X-eins.” H-neun pouts and X-eins has to turn away to stop himself getting too distracted by that. “However, as I said, I consider X-eins to typically be the more valuable of the pair of you. H-neun is incredibly protective of you. You, on the other hand, tend to be more wrapped up in yourself.”

 “I have value as a hostage?” X-eins says, eyes narrowed. “Because I’m selfish?”

 “In essence.”

 

 X-eins narrows his eyes further and H-neun sits up. He pokes his side lightly, drawing his gaze and flashing that ever reassuring smile. Is he selfish? H-neun has been protecting him for so long, without X-eins ever even realising. He suffered for him. Has he really been so selfish and wrapped up in his own world he’s taken H-neun for granted? He hadn’t noticed H-neun was acting so strangely, growing distant. Hadn’t noticed all the secrets between them. Maybe L-elf is right.

 “However, H-neun is currently injured,” L-elf continues. X-eins’ head jerks up, turning to L-elf once more. “And if there is one thing I have learnt about years working with you, it is when H-neun is injured, he becomes exponentially more valuable to hold over you.”

 “What?”

 “It’s the only time you ever truly take notice of him. When H-neun is injured, you become inordinately protective of him. Were I slightly more cynical, I might consider the theory that your relationship is an extension of that desire to protect him physically and emotionally while injured and your own guilt over getting him into this situation.” He smiles and X-eins scowls.  _ No. _ There is no way he’s even considering that a possibility. “That is why he will be coming with me and you will be remaining here.”

 “What?” they both snap.

 “When we head into Dorssiana and to find the captured JIORans,” L-elf replies. “H-neun will come with our team. X-eins will remain here, guard Unit IV-”

 “Carmilla,” the three pilots says. L-elf glances over and Tokishima smiles a little before continuing. “Saki calls it Carmilla, remember?”

 “Unit IV,” he says, turning back to them, “and wait for our missing pilot’s return.”

 “I won’t be separated from him,” X-eins snaps.

 “We’re staying together,” H-neun says. 

 “I’m not offering you a choice,” L-elf says, hand resting on his pistol. “H-neun will be coming with us. X-eins will wait for Rukino Saki’s return. That is my decision. That is the plan. Those are your orders. You will follow orders, or I will deal with you appropriately. I believe we’ve already discussed your punishment for insubordination.”

 X-eins clenches his jaw and closes his eyes. If either of them shows signs that they’ll betray or disobey L-elf, the other’s life is on the line. There’s nothing they can do. H-neun squeezes his hand and X-eins glances over. 

 “Alright,” he says finally. There’s no other option. He won’t risk H-neun. “Alright, fine. We’ll do it your way.”

 “Thank you,” L-elf says, like they had any choice. “We head out tonight.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> That moment when you realises most of this has taken place in a gap between 2 episodes. Actually returning to episodic plot again next chapter, yay!


	18. Feeding

 L-elf delivers the code to the armoury, as promised, as soon as the royalist transport is far enough away to be safe. X-eins is now alone on the transport with Rukino Saki’s body in a medical bed and that loathsome green Valvrave hidden away under a tarp. 

 Saying goodbye to H-neun had hurt more than X-eins expected. Apparently, he really has become unbelievably enthralled in his best friend’s web of charm. There had been a lot of scandalised whispers and squeals as H-neun kissed him rather passionately and publicly. X-eins had been forced to turn away so as not to get too emotional over the transports pulling away. He’s not a crybaby anymore. He’s not that child all anymore.

 The armoury is well stocked, as expected. The students had taken some of the weapons, but X-eins still has plenty to work with. His standard arms are resting on the table in the middle of the room for X-eins to reclaim, and along with them he picks up a larger gun before closing up again. If he is found, he doesn’t want to be scrambling to a possibly surrounded armoury for something more suited for war than a pistol. Although, he doesn’t want to weigh himself down with too much, he doubts if the transport is found it will be just a few soldiers. It’s likely if they’re spotted it will be a large number of forces. Not that X-eins alone in a transport like this isn’t more than a match for them, probably, but it does seem like effort. Hopefully, it won’t come to that.

 And then there is little to do but wait.

 X-eins glares up at the green Valvrave. He’s weighing up the options for sabotaging the deplorable thing. He’s never really forgotten the disgusting machine destroying his Ideal, forcing him to eject and rely on H-neun to be returned to the ship. Although, he’s mildly predisposed to disliking Miss Renbokoji too, after nearly killing H-neun with that hacked drill bit. 

 He’s also debated removing Rukino Saki’s limbs and head and perhaps see if a Magius could survive that. She is helpless in the medical bed. He’s considered it a lot. However, no matter how he dislikes her, killing a helpless girl while unconscious doesn’t feel right.

 Besides, he can’t do anything. He’s sure L-elf will be monitoring him somehow. That he really won’t hesitate to use H-neun against him. Killing him while they’re apart like this is unlikely. With X-eins free, killing H-neun would result in X-eins returning to Dorssia for vengeance. But he is in L-elf’s hands and that keeps X-eins wary. 

 But, while he’s here, X-eins sees no problem investigating the Valvrave. L-elf, of course, knew he was going to do it and had warned him that getting into the pilot seat without being a Magius would result in death. X-eins is wary of that and focuses on other things. Like the strange hard light technology. Or the engine. A lot of it seems completely beyond his level of understanding though. As if it really is magic.

 

 It’s getting late and X-eins starts to think he needs to find somewhere comfortable to rest and wait out the night - solo missions are a pain, there was no one to keep watch - when the alarm goes to let him know someone’s entered the transport.

_  A-drei.  _

 X-eins scrunches up his nose, watching around the corner as A-drei and the Karlstein kid split up and start to move. A-drei has regained his shadow, it seems. He turns away, grabbing the phone Cain had left them and sending a quick message. Cain replies almost instantly and X-eins smiles a little. There’s still some part of him hopes Cain really does care about them. The exchange is quick and minimal and soon X-eins is forming a plan. 

 “Rukino Saki, I presume,” X-eins says, watching the Karlstein child. 

 The child stiffens and turns, staring up at him, dropping the letter left by L-elf. “You’re… X-eins?”

 “I am,” he replies. “I’m glad L-elf saw fit to inform you of my presence. I’m afraid we’re in a very delicate situation here.”

 “L-elf says I’m supposed to trust you,” Rukino says. “That he has a hostage to force your cooperation. You have a plan?”

 “I will deal with A-drei,” he says, turning away. “You just have to trust that I will return you to Module 77, safe and unharmed, even if we have to do it the long way around.”

 “You’re not going to tell me?”

 “Not while A-drei is running around. If you don’t know, they can’t torture you into giving information-”

 “Is that likely? I thought we were escaping?”

 “Contingencies are important. You don’t live through a war by assuming things will go your way.”

 “Hey-”

 “Get to work,” he orders.

 “Blitzendegen!” He glances over his shoulder and Rukino frowns at her hands. “Um-”

 “The instincts remain, as I’m sure you know by now,” he says, walking away. “Just ask Yamada Raizo when we get back to Module 77. I’m sure he’ll tell you at length how awful it was for him.”

 He leaves Rukino Saki to play her role, he’s sure she will without encouragement. He strides away through the halls, careful to avoid A-drei as he does. He knows which route A-drei will take during his sweep of the transport. It all goes perfectly to plan and X-eins waits silently for what he hopes will follow. This plan is going to be rather cruel, but right now it’s what X-eins feels necessary. 

 

 A-drei and Rukino don’t disappoint. His phone rings within five minutes.

 “A-drei,” X-eins says calmly, heading back towards the hanger. “Have you seen it now? What we couldn’t tell you.”

 “What was that?” A-drei snaps. “What’s going on, X? You promised me answers.”

 “Do you understand now?” he says.

 “No. No, I don’t. This isn’t possible. How can this be possible? I need you to explain this to me properly now, X-eins.”

 “It’s alright, I’ll explain everything.” He steps into the hangar and A-drei jerks around, pistol raised. X-eins lifts his hands passively and A-drei sighs. Rukino Saki is unconscious against the wall, the youngster from Karlstein standing over her with his weapon, watching warily. “You dealt with that quickly. Shall we talk?”

 “K-zwolf,” A-drei says. The boy glances up and A-drei tosses him a phone. “Restrain the prisoners, then get in contact with Colonel Cain, inform him of our location, that we have a Valvrave and pilot, and prepare her for transport.”

 “Blitzendegen!”

 A-drei gestures of X-eins to lead and the pair head down the hall in awkward silence to one of the briefing rooms. X-eins sits and A-drei considers him for a moment before sitting across the table from him. 

 “Where’s H-neun?” A-drei says.

 “That’s not important,” X-eins replies. “We’re here to talk about what you just saw.”

 A-drei nods. “Rukino Saki was unconscious. K-zwolf knew exactly where to find her body, and her Valvrave, bit her neck, fell unconscious and Rukino Saki woke up. Moments later, he woke up and was trapped in the medical bed, apparently completely unaware of how he got there. I disabled Rukino Saki, and K-zwolf informed me he remembers nothing since Karlstein, where he assures me he and his partner shot Rukino Saki and were then confronted by L-elf who got the better of them.”

 “Are your conclusion?”

 “Rukino Saki is not human.”

 “And following on from that?”

 “Given our previous conversations, I believe that a link between Cain, the students and this council that you have encountered has been established. If Cain is part of the Council, and is also capable of piloting the Valvraves, something only the students can do, it seems to follow that the Council is also not human.” There’s a moment of silence and X-eins allows A-drei to follow through with his own train of thought. “X-eins, you said we were raised as sacrifices for the Council. That you were chosen. That fact that I have seen Cain growing older leads me to believe that these creatures age, but cannot be killed, therefore require younger bodies regularly. That could, perhaps, explain their connection with the students.”

 That is something X-eins hadn’t considered, so perhaps talking through with A-drei will prove useful. L-elf’s explanations were sketchy at best, if you even trusted them, so at this point he and A-drei finding their own conclusions is about all they can really do. 

 “Perhaps, Sakimori Academy was where they raised their JIORan hosts, in the same way they seem to raise us at Karlstein for their use,” A-drei says. “The pilots are the ones who, as you and H-neun said, have been taken. They change bodies. Like possession, that’s why what I said rattled you?” X-eins nods. “So, Cain was possessed ten years ago, and these pilots are the possessed ones. And you… you were chosen. They tried to take your body.”

 

 “They are called Magius,” X-eins says at last. A-drei nods, obviously eager to know what’s actually going on at last. “As you assessed, they cannot be killed but continue to age. They change bodies in one of two ways; quick, harmless reversible possession, as you saw with Rukino Saki, and a full possession, involving draining the host almost completely and discarding their old body for dead.” 

 “That’s what they intended to do to you?” X-eins nods. “Is it too much to hope… perhaps L-elf…”

 “I’m afraid I couldn’t tell you.” 

 A-drei nods thoughtfully. “Why are you here though?”

 “I’m sorry?” X-eins says.

“If you’re aware that there is a connection between the council and the students, and that there is a chance L-elf is possessed too, why would you and H-neun seek him out rather than let the royalists help you?”

 X-eins smiles. He had imagined they’d get there eventually. He can’t tell A-drei the truth, of course, but they’re trained to lie and lie and lie. He can throw A-drei off the scent with ease. It’s not exactly a challenge to think up the most obvious solution for pushing A-drei away. 

 “To keep H-neun safe.”

 “That doesn’t make sense,” A-drei says. “How could you and H-neun be safe in a place that’s potentially controlled by the very people you’re running from?” X-eins smiles and pushes up his glasses. “X-eins?”

 

 “Would you like to know a secret, A-drei?” X-eins says, tilting his head. A-drei’s eyes widen a touch. “You were incredibly helpful. All the things you told me about H-neun, it meant I could loosen my grip on him.” 

 “What?”

 “You see, it’s incredibly important that H-neun is kept safe,” he explains. H-neun always said he was too stiff. If he can escape that, perhaps this will work. “You six were always special. It was a shame about F-sech but he was just far too young.”

 A-drei staggers up, chair falling over as he jerks away. “You’re not X-eins!”

 “He was too late,” he replies, standing slowly. “But I didn’t want to ruin his fun. Can you imagine the sort of stupid stunt he’d pull if he knew his beloved X-eins was truly gone? I think a part of him knew, but I think when his terribly unrequited love was suddenly returned, he didn’t want think about it any longer. He didn’t resist me working my magic on him. He wanted to believe I was X-eins so desperately.” 

 “No,” A-drei breathes, backing up against the wall as X-eins approaches. “X-eins…”

 “Most of you are rather replaceable,” X-eins continues. “But Cain does insist that H-neun will be his.”

 “Cain?”

 “Well, if you have to exist in a body for years, wouldn’t you want some say over it? I’m rather glad to be enjoying a body and lover nearly fifty years younger than my last one, but Cain does prefer to remain middle-aged. He prefers to stay in his late twenties and into his forties. At the peak of life, he says. In ten years or so H-neun will be just right. He insists we keep him safe. And now you have stuck your nose in, you know far too much. You should have listened when I told you not to interfere. The Council’s entire purpose is keep the Magius’ existence secret, after all.” 

 “Hano would never forgive you if you did something to me,” A-drei snaps. “You can’t-”

 “He never needs to know,” he replies, tipping his chin with his finger tips. “He doesn’t want to know, after all.” A-drei clenches his jaw and X-eins’ smile turns a little more teasing. “Hey, A-drei, you know I’ve not been able to eat properly since I devoured X-eins. You’d be a good friend and let me have some of your Runes, wouldn’t you?”

 “Runes?”

 “Our food source. It’s harmless as long as I’ve no intentions of draining you.”

 “X-eins is still in there, right?” A-drei says. X-eins smirks back at him. “K-zwolf woke up, X-eins can wake up too, can’t he? I- I’ll give you my body. Take my body and let X-eins go.”

 X-eins shakes his head. “I told you, if I discard this body, X-eins might as well be dead. He can't survive without me now. Which means I don’t just have H-neun as a hostage. You see, X-eins only cares about H-neun, nothing more, but you will put your life at risk for them both. You’re right, X-eins still exists within me, just enough to keep his body alive for me. H-neun got to talk to the original Cain, he was in tears, it was quite beautiful.”

 “Why would Hano-”

 “But it was quite exhausting for my friend,” he continues. “And he nearly went too far replenishing himself with H-neun afterwards.”

 “Then at least let me talk to X-eins!”

 “That would kill us both,” X-eins replies with a shrug. “As would any fatal injury at this point. I told you, I haven’t eaten since I got this body. I don’t have the reserves to heal or doing something so exhausting, I’m afraid. If I run out of Runes, but X-eins and I will die.”

 A-drei clenches his jaw, eyes narrowed thoughtfully. X-eins wonders how much it would work. Does A-drei really believe he’s a Magius? Will it last once he’s thought about it? Finally, A-drei lets out a slow breath and nods.

 “Then take what you need from me.” X-eins smrisk back at him. “If keeping you alive keeps X-eins alive then so be it. If I have to befriend you, if I have to feed you, whatever it takes, I will protect X-eins. So take whatever you have to from me. Whatever these Runes are, take as much as you need from me.”

 “How dedicated you are. I don’t dislike that.” 

 

 Honestly, a role like this is hard work. Perhaps H-neun is right. Perhaps he’s too stiff. Even if it’s hard work, he has to keep A-drei under control and stop him getting too close at the same time, without upsetting H-neun too much. This would be so much easier if he could just threaten him or actually treat him like an enemy. For now, he just has to think about the fake Cain and how he acted. Amused with them constantly. Always better than them. Always ahead of them. He just has to think like that and treat A-drei like that. 

 He lifts A-drei chin gently, leaning in and stealing a teasing kiss. More to test the waters that anything.  How would A-drei respond to X-eins pushing his boundaries like this. He stiffens and stares back at X-eins but doesn’t make any move to push him off. They are taught to do whatever it takes to get the job done. At A-drei and L-elf’s age, seduction will have only recently been added to their skill set. They will have only just begun to learn these lessons. At X-eins and H-neun’s age, one’s sexuality and body are treated as just further assets to achieve help their goals. A-drei, no doubt, sees this as another occasion just as much as X-eins does. He needs to see just how far A-drei will yield and A-drei likely considers this just another case of doing whatever’s necessary.

 “Satisfied?” A-drei whispers between kisses.

 “Hmm?”

 “Well, either you’re feedings from some kind of sexual energy gained from my kisses,” he replies, “which does lead me to some rather uncomfortable implications. Or you want to test how accepting of your control I am. You don’t have to worry about that. To protect X-eins and H-neun, I’ll do whatever it takes.” 

 “Blood.” A-drei frowns at him. “Blood is the most efficient way to extract Runes.”

 “That’s why you reacted when I mentioned vampires?”

 “There are other ways,” X-eins replies, doing all he can to remember what little Cain has given them. He reaches up slowly and opens up A-drei’s collar. “But blood is the most efficient source of fresh Rune extraction. It’s just a little bite.” He smiles and A-drei’s adam’s apple bobs as he slides one finger down his throat. “I’ve heard you Karlstein boys are a delicacy. If you’re anything like your friend, it will be hard to hold back and not drain you. I understand why Cain struggled to hold himself back with H-neun that night.”

 “Stop trying to scare me and get on with it,” A-drei snaps. 

 “How brave of you,” he says, leaning into A-drei’s throat. “Although, there is something I wonder.” He lifts his head, stalling for time. He doesn’t want to take this too far. “If this wasn’t new, if I’d always been this way, would it be different? Like with Cain?”

 “What do you mean?”

 “The only Cain you and H-neun and even X-eins have ever truly known is the Magius. A Magius raised you and cared for you and trained you, never fed on you until you knew the truth. Does the fact that we are simply not human, that we are doing what we must to survive, make it so wrong?” A-drei frowns. “If I had always been X-eins, if I’d survived on syphoned Runes, would finding out I was not entirely human make me a monster?”

 A-drei frowns. X-eins would really rather like some input on that. He doesn’t know what to make of Cain. It’s true, he’s raised them and protected them, he’d given them this chance, but he’s not their Cain.

 “Why does it matter?” A-drei says. “I have to keep you alive to protect X-eins, so it’s pointless to speculate.” He pauses and frowns. “You still move like X-eins, and Rukino Saki still spoke Dorssian and knew how to act. Is that why you’re hesitating? Because of X-eins?”

 “You shouldn’t read too much into it.” 

 “X-eins…” He smiles a little and X-eins frowns. “I’m sort of glad. I couldn’t stand thinking X-eins really hated me.” 

 X-eins frowns and, after a moment, steps away. A-drei’s eyes widen and he grabs X-eins’ arm, pulling him back. He frowns and glances back. A-drei is glaring up at him. He knows why, of course. He smiles and tilts his head.

 “You said you needed to feed,” he says. “To keep X-eins safe, you need these Runes. I’ve already said you can feed from me.” 

 “Come and see me when we’re back in orbit,” X-eins replies, taking his seat once more. 

 “What?! No!” A-drei snaps, slamming his hand against the desk. “You said you had to feed to keep X-eins safe!”

 “And I do. I told you, I don’t have the energy to heal right now. So you’ll have to be careful with me, won’t you? For X-eins’ sake and H-neun’s.”

 

 “Sir,” K-zwolf calls, appearing in the door. “Reinforcements have arrived. The prisoner has been taken into custody and the robot is being prepared for transport.” 

 A-drei nods and glances at X-eins, whos shrugs and holds out his hands. “I’m not resisting.”

 “Fine,” A-drei sighs. “K-zwolf.”

 “Sir?”

 “Fetch a team to take the traitor into custody. We’ve been ordered to take him alive.”

 “Blitzendegen.”

 “K-zwolf.”

 He pauses and turns. “Sir?”

 “You’re doing a good job,” A-drei says. “I’ll be telling your superiors of your good work.”

 “Thank you, sir.”

 K-zwolf runs off and X-eins leans back in his chair. Holding a cover like this for this long in front of someone who knows him as well as A-drei really is exhausting. He’ll be glad when he can have a break.

 “I’m going to disarm you now,” A-drei says. 

 “Go ahead. I won’t resist.” 

 A-drei nods and leans in, taking his pistol and knife. X-eins reaches up, brushing A-drei’s hair back behind his ear, channeling something of H-neun. A-drei jerks back, staring down at him and he smiles back.

 “Cain and I don’t get along so well,” X-eins says. “Perhaps, while H-neun is safe and hidden away, I can give you some attention. Perhaps we should get to know each other in preparation for when H-neun is no longer himself.”

 A-drei turns away and waits at the door silently, thankfully giving X-eins a moment to relax and get himself back together. He sighs silently and closes his eyes, listening to the footsteps moving closer. 

 “The prisoner is unresisting and unarmed,” A-drei says from behind him. “We are under orders to bring him in unharmed as long as he doesn’t resist. Take full precautions nonetheless, he is still a Karlstein agent.”

 “Blitzendegen.”

 He raises his hands in surrender and his wrists are quickly caught, he’s guided up to his feet and quickly restrained. Of course, every instinct says to fight and kill but he keeps himself passive. A-drei watches from the side, K-zwolf next to him, as he’s escorted through the halls.

 

 It’s not exactly surprising when X-eins finds himself coming to in a cell, not entirely sure when he was even knocked out. He groans struggling to get his wits about him. He feels weird. Heavy. This feels like he’s been drugged.  _ Again. _ Not overly surprisingly though. He’s dangerous. He’s a Karlstein agent and military elite. A traitor. He’s most dangerous during transport. It’s not outside of regulations to sedate a tricky prisoner until they’re securely in their cell.

 The door unlocks and X-eins sits up on the bunk. A chain clanking and he glances down at. He’s been stripped down to a loose t-shirt and shorts and nothing more. Although, he can at least still feel the weight of his tags around his neck. But the chain and shackle around his ankle is new, keeping him secured to the wall. He really has got himself into a mess, hasn’t he? Just a few weeks ago, this situation would have been unthinkable. Things have changed so quickly. 

 The door shuts once more. Footsteps move across the cell and as X-eins gets used to the light he realises it’s A-drei.

 “I assume I don’t have to explain the situation to-” He pauses and frowns. “Or do I? You aren’t X-eins, are you?”

 “I have his instincts, but I don’t have his knowledge, no,” X-eins replies.

 “You were sedated for transport,” A-drei explains. “It’s standard for someone of your level and importance. While unconcious you were strip, your possessions taken, and thoroughly searched before being put in here.” X-eins nods, as if he doesn’t know all this already. “You will likely be interrogated by Cain as soon as he returns from the surface.” 

 “I assume you haven’t told anyone what I told you,” he says.

 “Of course not,” he snaps. “Cain would probably kill me or have me locked up if I confronted him and no one else would ever believe me. All I can do for now is keep you safe and try to protect X-eins and H-neun as best I can.” He frowns and moves over to the bed slowly, sits on the bed and folds his hands in his lap. “Tell me, is H-neun safe?”

 “Safe?”

 “The students won’t hurt him? He won’t be harmed?”

 “No, not at all,” X-eins replies, sitting up fully and leaning in, gazing back at him. “I told you, he’s to be taken by Cain when he’s ready. He will be kept safe.”

 “I don’t understand the situation with the students,” A-drei says. “If they are potential hosts, as I assumed, why would they rebel like this?”

 “Magius do not directly interfere with human affairs unless it threatens us as a whole,” he replies. “Humans far outnumber us, so we keep our presence secret. There would be mass panic if they discovered there was a race who possess and feed off of humans. That’s why we’re careful to keep our presence hidden, by only feeding directly from humans in special situations and by only possessing humans when needed. The fight between the students and Dorssia is their own, those of our kind who have been involved are merely playing their part.”

 A-drei nods slowly. “Will you feed from me now? So, if they try to execute you, you’ll be able to heal? And so I’ll be able to talk to the real X-eins?”

 “Perhaps,” X-eins replies. Not the answer A-drei is after, obviously. “Where is Rukino Saki? You brought her here with me, correct?”

 “Two doors to the left,” A-drei replies. “But I couldn’t keep Rukino’s situation quiet. K-zwolf isn’t the only one who’s witnessed her abilities.”

 “And we’re in space now?” 

 A-drei nods. “You said I should come and see you when we were back in orbit.” 

 “The Kirschbaums?” 

 “A cargo box in hangar two. Cain ordered them there waiting for repurposing.”

 “The green Valvrave?”

 “With them. They’re all being sent to a secure Dorssian module in two days time, when we can get enough people to ensure we can transport securely.” A-drei jerks back, staring down at him. “X-eins, are you going to-”

 “Of course,” X-eins replies. “I can’t stay here, can I?”

 “You’ll be safe here,” A-drei snaps. “You can feed from me whenever you need these Runes, I will do anything you need to keep X-eins safe, you don’t need to go anywhere. Let me take care of everything.”

 “Your royalist contacts, your highness?” 

 “If that’s what it takes. I’ll have you two locked up somewhere safe, away from Dorssia and the Magius and everything else if I have to.”

 “How dedicated.” He grasps A-drei’s hand and pulls him closer, reaching into his sleeve for his knife hidden there. A-drei stares back at him and X-eins smiles back, slicing across his hand enough for blood to well up. “I suppose I’ll reward you a little for that dedication.”

 

 A-drei nods a little and X-eins lifts his palm slowly to his lips. It’s rather disgusting in many senses, X-eins would rather not have to do this, but he does what he needs to. He can’t bite A-drei’s neck, that would give away the lie in an instant, but he’ll settle A-drei and let him think he’s helping. It’s better than nothing. 

 X-eins draws back slowly after a few minutes, licking his lips and glancing over at A-drei’s slightly flushed face. He gazes down at his hand for a moment before wrapping it in a handkerchief and glancing away. 

 “A-drei.”

 “Y-yes?” 

 X-eins leans in as A-drei glances up at him again and pulls him into a deep kiss. A-drei goes stiff but, as before, doesn’t push him off. He smiles, resting his forehead lightly against A-drei’s, and his fingers brush A-drei’s lips lightly.  

 “Come back and see me later, A-drei,” he says softly. “Keep me company so I don’t get bored.” 

 “Will you let me talk to X-eins then?” A-drei whispers. 

 “That’s not nearly enough,” X-eins replies, shaking his head. “That’s just enough so that I can heal in an emergency. I’ll still have to do most the healing the human way, but I won’t die.”

 A-drei sighs and nods. “Alright. That’ll have to be enough for now. I’ll come back later then.”

 “I look forward to it,” he says, leaning back on the bunk once more. “It will get boring without H-neun to keep me busy. You’ll have to keep me amused in his place.” 

 “We are not your toys,” he hisses, getting up and stalking away to the door. “I have no interest in amusing you.”

 He sweeps out, leaving X-eins leaning back against the bunk. He lets out a heavy sigh as the lock slams again. Acting so out of character really is exhausting. And now, he can do nothing but wait. He groans and wipes his mouth with the back of his hand. He really is doing everything it takes to keep up this cover. He just has to keep it up and hope A-drei will continue believing him long enough to avoid questions and get A-drei helping him along. He’ll probably hate him for a bit afterwards when they have to explain, but that’s fine. He’s not exactly A-drei’s biggest fan right now either. X-eins couldn’t care less about himself anyway, as long as he can protect H-neun. 

 

 “X-eins Karlstein.” X-eins lifts his head slowly. There’s are shapes in the doorway. He frowns slightly. “One of Karlstein’s finest, reduced to such a state.”

 “It’s my punishment,” X-eins replies. “I knew what the consequences for my actions would be.”

 “Consequences?” He chuckles softly and X-eins realises it’s the Fuhrer. Amadeus K. Dorssia. A Magius just like Cain. “This is nothing compared to what will happen should you fail your mission.”

 “I know.”

 “So,” he says, sitting on the bed as X-eins sits up. “Where is your delicious partner? H-neun, no?”

 “Safe,” X-eins replies. “We fully intend to complete our mission. This is just another step.” 

 “Oh? And how do you expect to capture L-elf like this?” Amadeus says. 

 “He and the students don’t trust us at the moment,” he says. “They’re constantly on guard and don’t inform us of their plans until they’re in action. We can’t get close enough to capture L-elf until he trusts we’re on his side. I allowed myself and Rukino Saki to be captured solely so we can escape. Or rather, so I can go out of my way to escape with Rukino Saki.”

 “I see. A gesture to prove yourself. You can tell you’re Cain’s pets.” 

 X-eins scowls and Amadeus catches his chin, tilting his head up in a very obvious gesture of intent. X-eins doesn’t bother resisting. One word from him and X-eins is sure there will be guards in to beat and sedate him. No one will care what happens to a traitor. It’s only unusually strict orders that have seen him left alive and unharmed this far. 

 “He really does adore you two. He wasn’t impressed that I’d decided to enjoy H-neun while he was in holding, but then he just wouldn’t stop fighting and yelling, it really was the best way to restrain him. And he really was so delicious. It was rather worth Cain’s sulking.” 

 “I’m glad you think so.”

 “And you,” he says, leaning close to his exposed throat. X-eins clenches his fist but doesn’t move. “I hear you’re wonderfully delicious too. Fresh Runes are a treat.”

 “You Magius act like you’re so much better than us, yet you all seem like hungry animals obsessed by your food.” 

 Amadeus laughs to himself. “After everything you humans have done to us over the centuries, a little bit of food is the least you can give us. Here.”

 He releases X-eins’ chin and pulls a vial from his inner pocket. X-eins scowls at it. It’s that familiar green. The same as H-neun’s eyes. The same as the Magius’ magic. He holds it out to X-eins, who takes it slowly, looking it over.

 “What is it?”

 “It’s harmless. Drink it.” X-eins scowls at it. “Drink it willingly or it will be fed to you by force.” 

 

 X-eins glares at him for a moment. Suddenly he’s very aware of the situation he’s actually in. There’s nothing to stop anything that this creature wants to do to him. Not only is X-eins a traitor - torture and murder is nothing unusual for prisoners, let alone ones who’ve committed his crimes - but he’s facing the man who rules Dorssia. Becoming prey might be the least of his worries. 

 Still, X-eins has little choice. He doesn’t doubt his threats. So he opens up the vial and drinks it all, trying to ignore Amadeus smiling as he watches him. He finishes the entire thing and Amadeus takes it from him, leaning in and wiping his mouth with a handkerchief. Like X-eins can’t look after himself. 

 “What was that?” X-eins says, pushing his hands away. 

 “Nothing harmful,” Amadeus replies. “You’ll see momentarily. It shouldn’t take too long.” He hums thoughtfully, plucking X-eins’ glasses from his nose and tossing them away carelessly. “Ah, that’s much better. You should consider contacts.”

 “I like my glasses.”

 More importantly, the one time he had considered contacts, H-neun had objected quite verimently, insisting that X-eins’ should keep his glasses.

 “I don’t,” Amadeus says. “And I am going to have words with Cain about keeping such quality pets to himself. It’s a shame I need this body’s position. If I could take your body, I’d be able to enjoy your friend whenever I felt like it.”

 “How unfortunate for y-” 

 Suddenly everything is very cold. So cold it knocks the breath from his lungs. He double over, gasping for breath. The shackle around his ankle is freezing. So cold it burns. The soft cotton of his clothes sends sparks through him at every small brush. Every breath fills his chest with ice and his heartbeat pounds around his ears. 

 “Ah,” Amadeus chuckles, his voice vibrating through him. It’s too loud. Too sharp. X-eins’ hands go to his ears but every touch spends electricity through him, even the lightest touch unbearable pressure. “There it is.” 

 “What- what have you-”

 “Hush now, child,” he says firmly. He pushes X-eins back to the bunk beneath him, and every second is a complete overload. He can barely keep himself conscious. “It’s a new rather experimental drug that temporarily increased your Rune output. So far it’s mostly used on our donors increase our harvest. However, it is perfectly safe to be used short term on you. Your sense have all be heightened to near overload. If we could tone it down use on everyday soldiers you could be hyper aware of your situations with incredible memory processing powers, however, long term, it can cause a lot of trouble. I’ll devour the excess Runes from before you can be damaged though, don’t worry.” 

 He leans in over X-eins and he cries out at the sudden pressure and contact of a body above his. The panel in the door is pulled open as he tilts X-eins’ head aside, leaning into his neck once more.

 “Hush now, I’ll be gentle with you,” Amadeus murmurs. 

 The panel slams shut again and X-eins whimpers at the noise pounding around his head. But Amadeus lies over hm, tilting his head further as his breath falls against his skin, and for some reason it’s warm. The cold is chased away by the creature’s body, by the energy bubbling beneath the surface, resonating with the pressure inside him. 

 

 Sharp fangs pierce his throat and X-eins screams, his voice echoing around him making the pounding in his head worse and worse. It’s hideous. His body arches from the pain, held down against the bed by the weight above him, fingers bruising his wrists as he’s kept pinned. But slowly sensory overload starts to fade into exhaustion and his eyes fall shut, listening to his gasping breaths and soft rustle of fabric as he feeds wantonly. 

 He whimpers as the fangs slip away again and the Magius tips his head, exposing the other side of his throat. 

 “Good boy, you’re settling nicely,” Amadeus whispers against his throat. X-eins gasps, another sharp pain shooting through him. “It’s alright. You’ll get stiff if we do so much from one side.”

 “You care?” X-eins pants.

 “It’s easier with tender flesh,” he replies. “And pet care is important. Don’t worry. You’ll get used to it. I was right though. You’re taste just as good as your friend.” 

 Before X-eins can say another word, his throat is clamped in his jaws and the fangs pierce his skin once more. It’s certainly not as bad this time. There’s no piercing pain or agonised screams. Just sharp pain and more electricity but it’s not nearly as bad. Amadeus pets his hair lightly as he continues to feed. X-eins eyes close once more. The further things go, the more he thinks it might not be so awful. Perhaps he’s simply growing too accustomed Magius feeding from him.


	19. Bad End

 X-eins is still absolutely exhausted when A-drei returns. He doesn’t know how long it’s been since he was left alone but he can still barely think. Amadeus assured him that by using the drug to increase his Rune output, he wouldn’t have lost any memories. It doesn’t stop the absolute exhaustion from such a prolonged feed though.

 “Are you alright?” A-drei says softly. “I apologise, it’s late, but I thought it best to wait so as not to arouse suspicion.” 

 X-eins frowns up at him. He’s too exhausted to keep up his act properly. Time for Plan B.  “A-drei?”

 A-drei steps in and there’s a quiet tap. He pauses and crouches and X-eins can only assume he’s found his glasses. 

 “A-drei, what’s going on?”

 “X!” He runs over and sits on the bed, leaning over and brushing his hair from his face. “X-eins? It’s really you?”

 “Who else would I be?” X-eins replies and A-drei slips his glasses onto his nose. “A-drei-”

 “I’m so glad,” A-drei whispers. He lowers himself onto his chest, gripping his shirt and lowering his head. “You’re ok. You’re really ok.”

 “Exhausted and confused,” he says with a small smile. “But yes, I’m ok. What’s going on, A-drei?”

 “What’s the last thing you remember?” 

 “I was meeting Cain. There were all these people. I was sure I heard H-neun. And then…” He puts on a frown and A-drei gazes up at him. “Cain was there and they… this guy bit my throat and… it doesn’t make any sense. What’s going on, A-drei? Where’s H-neun? Why am I locked up?”

 A-drei sits up slowly, gazing down at him before smiling weakly and stroking his cheek. “I don’t know how long we’ve got so I need you to just listen to me and trust me, ok?”

 “Ok.”

 “There’s a group in control of Dorssia. You met them. The Council. They’re using Karlstein agents for their rituals.” X-eins almost smiles. A-drei is going to give the same story as X-eins originally gave him? “We’re not entire sure what their goal is, but they us as sacrifices.” 

 “Sacrifices?”

 “You were drugged. They were going to sacrifice you. H-neun saved you. They go all the way to the top though, and you and H-neun have been accused of treason.”

 “Treason? But-”

 “I know, I know,” he says quietly, shaking his head. “H-neun’s earrings are recording devices, you know? That’s how I found out.” He’s a good little liar, X-eins will give him that, twisting truth and lies just as they’d been taught from the start. “I will do everything I can to protect you, X-eins. No matter what it takes.”

 “I feel like I’m missing something, A-drei,” X-eins whispers as A-drei cups his cheek. “What’s going on?”

 “Nothing,” A-drei replies. “I just… You know H-neun loves you, right? You two belong together.”

 “A-drei-”

 “Shut up and let me talk,” he snaps. “I told you I don’t know how long we’ve got before-” 

 He frowns and glances away. X-eins pokes his side weakly. “Before?”

 “Before time runs out. Promise, next time you talk to him, you’ll tell him how you feel about him.” X-eins nods a little. “And I know Cain had you investigating me. I know you found out some things and I’m sorry, I know you must feel betrayed, but please understand I never would have let any harm come to any of you. I wanted to stay with you guys forever. And please believe me when I say I will find a way to save you and H-neun. No matter what I have to do to get there.”

 “You’re getting rather emotional, A-drei,” he murmurs. 

 A-drei nods a little. “I apologise. There are just some things I needed to get off my chest before I lose the chance.”

 X-eins smiles tiredly and closes his eyes. A-drei takes his hands gently and squeezing. There’s heavy silence and X-eins really is so exhausted, he can barely keep himself awake. A-drei squeezes his hand tightly. 

 “You really do worry me, A-drei.”

 “It’s nothing,” A-drei replies. “Just… hang on, ok? I am going to save you from these creatures somehow.”

 “Oh?” Amadeus chuckles. A-drei jerks up and spins around only to find himself shoved against the wall. “The prince has a lot of ambition, doesn’t he? Let me show you, your highness, just what you’re up against. I wonder if all Cain’s pets are so delicious.” 

 

 X-eins closes his eyes, trying to block out A-drei’s half muffled scream of pain as he’s forced to donate Runes. It’s not all that hard to drift off, still exhausted from such a prolonged feeding. When he eventually manages to pull himself together again, A-drei is collapsed against the side of the bed, holding his hand with trembling fingers and Amadeus has slipped away again. Magius move like shadows, it seems. They could never keep up with them. 

 “X,” he whispers hoarsely. “X? Are you still there?”

 “I’m here,” X-eins replies. “Are you ok?”

 “It hurt,” he says, squeezing his hand. “But I’m ok.”

 “What happened?” he says, barely able to keep his mind focused long enough to keep up his story. “What was that?”

 “I can’t explain,” A-drei says, shaking his head. He smiles and reaches up, trembling fingers brushing his cheek lightly. “Just know that no matter what, I am going to save you and Hano.”

 X-eins nods slowly. He wishes he could believe A-drei could save them. He really has no idea if they can get out of this. Or how. He just wants to protect H-neun, no matter what he needs to do. Even if he has to sit here and actually wait for his execution, he doesn’t care.  

 “Hey, A-drei,” he whispers. A-drei lifts his head, smiling tiredly. “You should…” He frowns a little and tilts his head away. “You should ask Kriemhild about Cain’s boys.”

 “Cain’s…” X-eins glances over to see A-drei frowning at him. “I didn’t know Cain had any family, let alone sons.”

 X-eins sighs. “Just ask Kriemhild, I imagine she’ll know. Cain’s two boys. He used to keep a picture of them on his desk.”

 “I wouldn’t feel right about using kids-”

 “Just ask her.”

 “Right… If you’re so sure it must be important. I guess.” He sighs and lays his head on X-eins’ hand. “Do you mind if I just… stay here a while… until I’m stronger, or until you fade.”

 “It’s nice to have the company.”

 A-drei nods weakly and squeezes his hand tightly. The pair of them rest together in near silence, X-eins playing gently with A-drei’s hair and seems to take a lots of comfort in his presence. Lying really is rather hard. But it’ll keep him safe and H-neun won’t be happy if he lets A-drei get hurt. H-neun really is too attached to his friends. 

 It’s late when A-drei leaves him. X-eins is almost sad to see him go, but they both need rest. He sighs as the door locks and he sets down his glasses, rolling over and pulling up the scratchy, thin blanket to try and rest a little longer. Trying not to think about the fate looming over him.

 

 “X-eins.” He groans and opens his eyes slowly as he’s shaken. “X-eins. Wake up.” He shakes his head slowly, eyes cracking open. “X-eins.”

 “I’m awake,” he hisses, slowly opening his eyes and realising its Kriemhild glaring down at him. A-drei is a few steps behind her. “What do you want?”

 “I met up with H-neun,” Kriemhild says, eyes narrowed. “It seems you hold on his is as strong as ever.” X-eins smirks back, slowly putting his glasses back on. “He’s determined to remain with L-elf and Module 77 and await your return. It seems he was unaware of your capture.”

 “I’m sure we’ll see each other again soon.” He sits up slowly and glares between the pair. “What can I do for you two?”

 “You asked A-drei to ask about those boys of Cain’s,” she says. A-drei frowns and X-eins smiles. Is he thinking about his state of mind. Is he himself or the Magius? “What would you know about them? Why would you ask?”

 “Who knows?” X-eins replies, sitting back against the wall. “You seem rather interested though.”

 “Those boys are the only weakness in Cain’s armour we’ve ever seen,” she replies. “Like us or not, you do have to work with the royalists if you want to survive and that means any weakness Cain offers has to be capitalised upon.” 

 “You tell me what you know, I’ll tell you what I know. Isn’t that fair? You want to know too, don’t you, A-drei?” Kriemhild frowns at him before nodding. X-eins smiles, sure A-drei notices him gently pressing the blue earring H-neun hand given him, letting it start recording. He doesn’t say anything about the action, though. “Well?”

 Kriemhild sighs and folds her arms as A-drei sits on the bed, watching with a frown. “Years ago, during the coup, there were a pair of boys that effectively sealed the fate of the royals. There was a small town out in the mountains, completely unassuming and uninteresting. The perfect place to be hiding a top secret military weapon.”

 “Weapon?” X-eins repeats at the same time as A-drei.

 “Yes. Weapon. It was the last place anyone would ever think to look, but it was protected by some of the highest royal guards, it’s location kept top secret.” X-eins frowns. If H-neun’s parents were royal guards, why would they send their son to live in a place like that? “A royal secret. Both sides were certain that there was something out there would swing the balance of the struggle. They were, unfortunately, right.” 

 “What was out there?” A-drei murmurs. 

 “Nothing,” she says. A-drei frowns and X-eins scowls. “At least, nothing that we could find. Either the military supporters had already got there, it had been moved by the royal family’s closest confidants, or it was a red herring.” 

 “You said you found something though,” he says with a frown. “And what does this have to do with Cain, Kriemhild-”

 “The town was thoroughly investigated,” she says and X-eins almost rolls his eyes. Investigated? They murdered everyone. “While our forces were outside the town, running through what had been found, they were attacked. It was a pair of children. Young boys.” 

 “Children?”

 “The entire thing was a set up, they were Cain’s boys.” X-eins frowns. Not at the time they weren’t. “Cain was there. When our forces turned on the children, he and his men slaughtered them all. And conveniently it was all caught on camera by Cain’s forces.” X-eins doesn’t remember that bit. But then, he had been mostly focused on Cain, memories of who else was there beside him and H-neun weren’t clear. “The town was later destroyed to remove any witnesses. It was a complete setup and every news outlet had headlines about those crying boys, who’s town had been destroy and who’s families had been murdered, all by the royalists, how the military supporters had saved them. Pictures of them hanging onto Cain where everywhere. All international support for the royalist cause vanished and it allowed the military to have full control.”

 “All that, just to frame the royalists?” A-drei says, tilting his head and X-eins snorts. “X?”

 

 “The boys?” X-eins says.

 “I found out later they were Cain’s. I didn’t know who they were at the time, just that they were the enemy. Finding out they were Cain’s made sense of everything. He had a picture of them on his desk for a while. He said they were a pair of orphans he’s picked up in the war. The way he spoke about them- He might have used them like another weapon, but he cared about them. And so if we can find where they’ve gone, we might be able to find a weakness in him. But so far he’s kept them exceedingly well hidden.”

 “What will you do when you find them?” X-eins says. 

 “Whatever necessary to bring Cain to his knees,” she replies.

 “Even kill them?”

 “If that’s what it takes to make Cain crumble. Without him the military state will crumble. I wonder what he would do if we delivered him the body of one of his precious boys.”

 X-eins cuts off the recording there. That’s enough rope to hang herself. He doesn’t want to use it, he hopes if she knew it was them she’d probably reconsider, but he needs insurance. 

 “How cruel, Kriemhild.”

 “It’s only natural to take advantage of your enemy’s every weakness.”

 A-drei frowns. “Kriemhild, they’re children-”

 “They’d be young men by now,” she snaps. “At least your age.” She turns to X-eins. “You said you had information too, X-eins? I suppose being closer to Cain than anyone here, you would.”

 

 “I know who they are, and where they are,” X-eins replies. 

 Kriemhild is suddenly very focused on him and A-drei is frowning. “If you have useful information, I’m sure we can overlook your terrible attitude and see your way to an escape.”

 “How kind,” he mutters. “I also know your timeline is wrong.” 

 “Then you’re wrong,” she snaps.

 “No. I’m no.” He smiles at A-drei. “See how long it takes you to figure it out, A-drei. I’d assume the reason there were royal guards keeping the location of the town secret, was because they had sent their son out there to avoid the conflicts in the cities. To keep him safe from harm.” A-drei’s eyes widen instantly and Kriemhild frowns. “The entire town was slaughtered and raided by the royalists. Everyone was killed.”

 Kriemhild scowls. “That was after-”

 “No, the boys you call Cain’s were from the town. They were in fields at the time, saved from the massacre. They returned to find everyone dead. It was then they decided they would have their revenge. They went out with their parents weapons and went after the royalists. They would have been killed if it wasn’t for Cain.”

 “You know a lot about this,” Kriemhild snaps. “Far too much.” 

 “A-drei’s already figured it out,” X-eins replies. A-drei is glaring at his hands. “I’ll admit, that was a rather heavy handed clue, wasn’t it?”

 “That’s why,” A-drei whispers, clenching his fists.

 “Yes, that’s why,” he says. “L-elf kept it from you. He knew you’d blame yourself.”

 “A-drei?” Kriemhild snaps.

 “It’s H-neun,” A-drei whispers. “He’s the son of royal guards. They sent him away to live with his grandfather in the country. It’s H-neun.”

 

 Kriemhild frowns. X-eins is starting to wonder just how much she really cares about H-neun. It is interesting, if annoying. A-drei is staring at him and X-eins smirks back. He’s worked out the second secret then. What came with the revelation that H-neun was one of Cain’s boys. He really hadn’t realised they’d made such a reputation for themselves.

 “H-neun…” Kriemhild mutters. “No wonder he’s given absolute ordered to bring you two in alive and as unharmed as possible.” She laughs bitterly. “All this time we were searching, he hid him in plain sight. We assumed he’d put them somewhere safe, that they were hidden, living somewhere under guard or protection someone away from the battlefields. Instead, he kept him close, right under our noses, right in harm’s way.” She shakes her head. “L-elf or not, I should have insisted on his capture.”

 While she’s muttering to herself, working out her plans and thought and failures, A-drei slides closer, leaning in and lowering his voice. “You’re the Magius?”

 “Yes.”

 “You let me speak to him last night,” he whispers. X-eins nods. “Why? I thought you didn’t have the energy.”

 “Amadeus provided me with some syphoned Runes,” he replies quietly. “I had enough, I thought I’d prove my intentions and give you what you wanted. A gesture of friendship, as it were. Cooperate with me and everything will be fine.”

 “Thank you, for letting me talk to him. It meant a lot.”

 

 “The other one?” Kriemhild snaps. “You said you knew both their identities. Where they both are. Who’s the other one?”

 “I wonder,” X-eins murmurs, leaning close and pressing his forehead to A-drei’s. “Where’s the other one, A-drei?”

 “X…” He smiles weakly and dumps his forehead lightly against his. “I’m sorry. I never wanted anyone innocent to get hurt. I never wanted to see my people suffering for me.”

 “A-drei?” Kriemhild says, voice breathless and shaken. “Him?”

 “X-eins and H-neun have been together since they were children,” A-drei replies. “Everyone at Karlstein knew, no matter how they tried to pretend otherwise. They were really bad actors back then. Everyone knew, they’d always been together.” 

 “You two-”

 There’s quiet clapping and they turn. The viewing panel in the door is open. X-eins doesn’t really need to look to know who it is. The door opens and Cain steps in, shutting the door behind him. It’s getting a little crowded in here. 

 “You’ve really been searching for that answer for a long time, haven’t you Kriemhild?” he says pleasantly. “All this time, the answer was right under your nose. Are they everything you imagined? My dear boys.”

 Kriemhild whips out her pistol and X-eins reaches around A-drei for his without even thinking. It’s as much a natural reaction as a conscious one. Cain just smiles back. Like Kriemhild doesn’t have a pistol pressed to X-eins’ temple. And he doesn’t have one pressed to A-drei’s forehead in return.

 “Well now, isn’t this friendly?” Cain chuckles. “Are you alright, X-eins?”

 “As good as can be,” he replies.”I’d rather not be locked up like this.”

 “I’m afraid not even I can get you better accommodation at this point,” he says. 

 “Well, now everyone’s secrets are out,” Kriemhild says. “Where are we going from here, Colonel?”

 “I don’t see any reason not to carry on as usual,” Cain replies. “I’ve known of your position for quite some time, Kriemhild, and the prince is of no surprise, why do you think I had X-eins investigating him?”

 “If you want your boys to live, I think you should take them and head to some backwater and stay out of the way,” Kriemhild snaps. 

 “We do seem to be at an impasse, don’t we?” he sighs. “I have no intention of letting you have either X-eins or H-neun, they are incredibly important to me.” 

 “Then, I suggest you follow our demands.”

 “I can’t allow that either,” he sighs. He walks over slowly and Kriemhild’s grip on her pistol tightens. She’s hesitating. She should have just shot him. She’s making her weakness clear. Much as X-eins is glad that she’s hesitating because it’s them, it’s her weakness. “So, I’m afraid I have to take matters into my own hands.” 

 

 X-eins frowns up at him and Cain smiles back, almost sympathetically, then closes a hand around his throat. What- what is he- 

 He drops the pistol, it won’t do any good against Cain away, grasping his wrist and struggling desperately to pry him off. A-drei grabs Cain’s arm, trying to help but Cain simply slams him against the wall by his collar.

 “Now now,” he purrs. “Let’s not get carried away. I’d hate to have to kill such a good soldier. Even if you are a traitorous little prince.” 

 “Let him go,” A-drei snaps as X-eins gasps for breath. 

 “I would never allow my dear child to be corrupted by the royalists who’ve already hurt him so much.” 

 “C-Cain,” X-eins rasps, nails digging into his wrists.

 “I’d much rather send him off by my own hand,” Cain murmurs, looking down at him almost fondly. “Rather than let you royalists take something more.” 

 X-eins gasps, dark spots moving across his vision. Cain tosses A-drei away and X-eins is dimly aware of his stopping Kriemhild firing on them. Cain’s going to kill him. He’s going to actually kill him. His fingers fall from Cain’s arm, unable to support his own weight any longer. His head falls back and the world goes dark. He absently hears some kind of reassurance from X-eins but it doesn’t help anymore than it did in the manor. 

 He falls back onto the bunk but Cain’s grip doesn’t relent even as X-eins feels himself fading once more. H-neun… He’s going to die here. Like this. Away from H-neun. Alone. H-neun’s going to be so mad at him.


	20. H-neun

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> We take a break from X-eins to see H-neun's side for a moment.

 “You’re stressed, H-neun,” L-ef says. “Has separating you from X-eins really become that stressful to you?”

 H-neun glances over at L-elf. “Anything could happen to him and I wouldn’t know. You must understand how stressful that is.”

 “Because of your relationship,” he replies. H-neun narrows his eyes. “You never used to have these separation issues. You never enjoyed being separated from him, but your anxieties were never this bad. You intimacy with him has caused you to become tense and worried when apart from him. It’s natural, I suppose, for lovers to become unsettled when forced apart.”

 “L-elf, stop analysing me before I punch you,” H-neun says, gazing out the window. “I still owe you one for that stunt with Yamada.”

 “Please, feel free to try. With your shoulder injury, you’re not a threat. I know all your moves.”

 “And I know your defences suck.” L-elf scrunched up his nose and H-neun smirks, purposefully putting on a deeper voice, mimicking Cain as he switched back to Dorssian. “ _As always your defences are lacking, L-elf. Capability grade, D._ ”

 “Don’t think your usefulness means you’re allowed to act as you please,” he hisses.

 “Without me you have nothing to hold over X.”

 “I could always just injure you non fatally.”

 “Besides, you let the kids do as they please without consequence. If this is your way of running things why expect a higher standard of me?”

 “Now now,” Tokishima says, coming between them, hands raised passively. “Let’s not fight too much. We have to work together for now, remember?”

 “I wouldn’t expect you to understand what’s required to be a leader when it comes to someone like H-neun,” L-elf says. “To show weakness would be my undoing.”

 

 H-neun smirks back. He’s right, of course. The moment L-elf shows weakness, H-neun will take advantage. If he doubts even for a moment that L-elf is capable of defeating Cain and giving them the safe haven they need, he won’t hesitate. He can’t hesitate. His life with X-eins depends on it.

 “ _X-eins told you then?_ ” H-neun says, switching back to Dorssian again.

 L-elf scowls but allows the switch. “ _You didn’t._ ”

 “ _X-eins is the superior officer,_ ” he replies with a shrug. “ _It wasn’t my place to tell you something he didn’t feel he need to._ ”

 “ _Unlike you to care about what you should and shouldn’t say,_ ” he mutters.

 “Are you two arguing in Dorssian now?” Tokishima laughs weakly.

 “ _As I asked X-eins, I’ll ask you; what do you intend to do with me?_ ”

 “ _I don’t think I believe Cain when he says he’ll let us go,_ ” H-neun say quietly and L-elf nods understandingly. “ _Ideally, he would keep his word and X and I could retire from the military and go home. I don’t think that can happen, no matter how much I wish it could. If you show weakness and give us an opening, if we doubt you can defeat Cain and the Magius, we will take you in. However, remaining with Module 77 seems like the better of the options. I’d like to believe you can beat him and that we can have a life that doesn’t revolve around the military anymore._ ”

 “ _That’s very honest of you,_ ” L-elf says and H-neun nods. If X-eins felt it was ok to tell him the truth, H-neun will follow his lead. “ _I appreciate that._ ” He stands and folds his arms. “However you are now a part of Module 77, a JIORan territory. You will speak JIORan while you’re here.”

 “ _We’re on Dorssian land, heading towards the Dorssian former capital. I think it’s appropriate to speak my own language._ ”

 “If you weren’t so annoyingly useful, I’d have shot you for insubordination by now, H-neun.”

 “I’m well aware that rules can be bent for those who’re useful. And how am I more annoying than the kids?”

 “They’re annoying, but they’re also students. You should know better.”

 “You’ve know me like ten years, what made you think I wouldn’t take advantage of this situation to relax and let go for a bit?”

 Tokishima smiles, still standing between them, waving his hands awkwardly. “We don’t need to argue. You two are friends, right?”

 “Friends is one way of putting it,” L-elf says turning away. “It’s rather more that we were pushed together at a young age. We weren’t given much choice as to whether we got along or not. Colonel Cain and superiors were very insistent that we remain together.”

 “We were proof of concept,” H-neun sighs.

 “Proof of what concept?” Yamada grumbles.

 “That the top Karlstein agents could be trained to a level where we could replace entire sections of armies,” he says with a shrug. “The five of us could replace at least a hundred men, sometimes more. Imagine what that does for efficiency.”

 “We were unique,” L-elf says. “They won’t be able to replicate our results just by putting together a group of children. It was our individual situations that made us capable. And, I doubt it’s any understatement of my ability to point out you have been failing without me to guide you.”

 “I wouldn’t call it failing,” H-neun snaps.

 “I would. You’ve not been able to capture me, kill any of my students or capture the Valvraves while your own Ideals have been destroyed several times.”

 “Due to vastly superior technology and we have been holding out own.”

 “Please tell me that when your Ideal has been repaired, H-neun.”

 “That had nothing to do with an actual battle, that was hacking! And how about you stop being so smug when half your yellow Valvrave is on the Karlstein battlefield.”

 “What did you just say about my Nobu Lightning?!” Yamada yells.

 “Do I have to choke you out again before you get that I’m not the sort of opponent you can beat?” H-neun snaps.

 “Really now,” Tokishima says, laughing awkwardly. “We’re all on the same side. This isn’t really going to help if you two are fighting while we need to be focused on Dorssia, right?”

 “Don’t underestimate us,” they snap, both glaring down at him.

 “They’re still totally in sync,” Inuzuka mutters.

 “Must be a Dorssian thing,” Yamada grumbles.

 “We’ll be arriving soon,” L-elf says. H-neun nods and L-elf holds out his weapons. “I trust you can behave yourself with them.”

 “Of course,” H-neun replies. “Just give me your orders and it’ll be done.”

 “Weren’t they just fighting?” Tokishima says as H-neun follows L-elf back towards the hangar. “What…?”

 “They spend way too much time worrying about being liked,” he mutters.

 L-elf sighs and nods. “They’ve not had the same training as us. They can’t separate emotion from their missions.”

 “I will punch you when we’re done.”

 “And I will have you locked up for assaulting your commanding officer.”

 “It’ll be worth it.”

 “I see.” L-elf cracks a small smile and tilts his head away. “I think, perhaps, I may have missed you four.”

 “A-drei’s the only one who missed you. And he has been missing you _alot_.”

 “I got that from how he keeps trying to kill me, to be quite honest.”

 H-neun smiles, tucking his hands behind his back. He might have missed L-elf a little more than any of them really let on. He was a part of their family. They’ve been together since they were children. He’s not X-eins, but he’s certainly important. Even if they were all shoved together, they were friends. They were really all each other had back then. They’d been taught to rely on each other more than anything else. If they were trapped behind enemy lines, they had to rely on each other rather than their superiors. They had to be strong. They had to stand on their own. Just like now.

 

 “Kriemhild has demanded to meet with you before giving us the information we require,” L-elf says as they’re preparing to head out.

 “Is this more about me being controlled by X?” H-neun sighs.

 “You should be grateful. She obviously cares about you a great deal. We can use that to our advantage if necessary.”

 “You don’t think X is controlling me?”

 L-elf frowns a little. “Aren’t we all controlled by our superiors to some extent? But no, I don’t think you’re controlled to the extent Kriemhild worries you are. I don’t think he’s had a bad effect on your mind. I think the two of you are playing along to make sure you get what you want. Of course, I know if X-eins asked you to do something, you likely will, but I don’t think you’re suffering from the ill effects of torture or torment. If I thought you were in an unhealthy mental situation, or at least one that could cause issue to my plans, I would be putting a stop to it. However, Kriemhild doesn’t know you like I do and wishes to meet you without X-eins’ influence.”

 “If I was that brainwashed, I wouldn’t be that different even without him, would I?” H-neun mutters. “I’d be disappointed if X was that sloppy when conditioning me.”

 “I would too,” L-elf says with a small smile. “His feelings for you makes it all the more certain he would take immense caution when bending you to his will.”

 “You were to come with me anyway, no matter what happened with Kriemhild.” H-neun nods. He’d assumed so. “Much as I’d like you to escort the team within Dorssiana, you can’t risk being seen in public like that. Much as I’m sure you could manage a lot of what could go wrong, risking injuring your shoulder further swayed my decision. You’re too useful to have out of action for longer than necessary. I’m sure Tokishima Haruto would hate me for saying so, you’re worth more than them. Having someone competent watching my back is reassuring.”

 “I thought you could handle everything yourself,” he laughs.

 “I can, but backup is always reassuring. If anything unforeseen does happen, your presence is more reassuring than the students.”

 H-neun would be more reassured by X-eins backing them up as well. Even if they weren’t side by side, to have X-eins around would have been reassuring rather than somewhere he can’t reach him. He can’t even contact him, L-elf won’t let him have his phone. Anything could happen and he’ll have no idea. The thought haunts him no matter how he tries to push it aside.

 

 The team heads out to Dorssiana while a few selected by L-elf remain with them. The yellow and purple Valvraves head off and the blue and red ones stay with them. H-neun is still mostly in the dark when it comes to the finer details of the plan, but that’s alright. He trusts he’s too valuable to L-elf to be sacrificed easily.

 “Ready?” L-elf says as they pull into a hangar. H-neun frowns at him. “If it comes down to it, you’ll have to use those weapons on our own people. Are you capable of that?”

 “F-sech,” H-neun murmurs.

 L-elf glances up at him, considering him for a moment, before nodding. “I know you hated that. Then and now. You were closer to F-sech that you let on.”

 “We did what we had to.”

 “So we did.” L-elf nods. “Hold your nerve. I know you hate royalists, but I know you’re capable of putting that aside for what’s best. Don’t let your emotions get the better of you.”

 H-neun nods and the door to the transport opens up, letting them out into the hangar and face to face with the royalist soldiers. Kriemhild and her men. Of course, H-neun knew she was a royalist, he knew there was other soldiers with her, but facing them was entirely different. H-neun hangs back, letting L-elf handle things. X-eins had been so mad at him for working with the royalists. H-neun doesn’t blame him. He hadn’t exactly been fond of the idea. Now he saw them, he wanted nothing more than to shot the lot of them, slaughter them without mercy just like everyone they’d loved.

 They’re watching him too. Everyone but Kriemhild looks at him like a coiled snake. He and X-eins had a reputation worse the L-elf when it comes to royalists. L-elf does his job, he doesn’t care who’s on what side as long as the job gets done. Q-vier was brutal when traitors were pointed out. He and X-eins didn’t wait for them to be revealed. He supposes that’s why Cain asked X-eins to investigate A-drei. They were known for hunting out royalists.

 “We’re really going to work with him?” one of them hisses.

 There are murmurs of agreement and H-neun tilts his head back. He’s starting to realise just what position he was in; the place he called home was hunting him and the people he needed to rely on wouldn’t trust him. He and X-eins really were in limbo. They really had nowhere to call home anymore. Nowhere to truly belong but with each other.

 

 “H-neun,” Kriemhild calls. He glances up and she smiles, beckoning him over. Once H-neun gives a nod of approval, he heads over, pausing a safe distance away. She sighs and steps closer. “It’s good to see you’re well, H-neun.”

 H-neun nods. “Just my shoulder where Cain shot me. It’s healing well.”

 “I’m glad,” she says, nodding slightly. “Where’s X-eins?”

 “On another job for L-elf,” he replies.

 “I’m sure you’re aware by now I’m concerned about you, H-neun.” He nods. “You’re aware that I’m concerned about how X-eins has been treating you?”

 “If X-eins was a problem, L-elf would have sorted it out by now,” H-neun says. Kriemhild nods. It’s a little awkward, he knows. He doesn’t want to flirt, though. X-eins didn’t seem to mind generally, but he had been unusually grumpy when he’d been flirting with Kriemhild before. So jealous he’d made a move at last. “I’m perfectly safe and well. There’s nothing going on.”

 “Then what has caused the sudden change in you?” she snaps. “H-neun-”

 “They’ve become intimate,” L-elf says. H-neun glares at him over his shoulder and Kriemhild frowns. “It’s a subtle change mostly, but there is a difference if you’re someone who knows them well enough. However, given H-neun’s previous interest in you, it’s likely you’re simply missing his attention, which has been restrained due to his changing relationship with X-eins.”

 “Thank you, Mr Exposition,” H-neun hisses.

 “You and X-eins?” Kriemhild says.

 H-neun nods a little. “It’s been building for a long time. We’ve always been close, after all.”

 “I suppose that does make some sense,” she sighs. “Boys your age always get too wrapped up in your relationships.” H-neun nods again. “Alright, no matter what your past, we’re all on the same side now. You should come with us.”

 “With you?”

 “Did I forget to mention?” L-elf says. H-neun glances back behind him. “Kriemhild requested you be given into her custardy.”

 “No happening,” he snaps.

 “I told you, Kriemhild, I wasn’t going to force H-neun to go with you,” he says. “I agreed to the meeting, but I told you I wouldn’t force H-neun to go with you. He’s under Module 77’s care. We’re not going to allow one of ours by force.”

 “I’m not going anywhere, Kriemhild,” H-neun says, shaking his head. “I appreciate your concern but I’m not leaving. I have to wait for X. We made a promise.”

 “Promises are all very well and good, but you need to be realistic,” Kriemhild scolds lightly. “You know better. You can’t just wait forever for him, you have to think about yourself and we will deal with X-eins and ensure he’s returned to you. It’s better to see soldiers like you and X-eins owing us a favour than dead. Like it or not, we’re on the same side.”

 “Don’t lump us together with royalist trash,” he hisses. “I’ll work with you if I have to but I’m not going to be considered one of you.”

 Kriemhild frowns and H-neun turns away, returning to the students. He leans back against the transport, ignoring the students and royalists staring. L-elf is looking perfectly calm, as if it’s within expectations. He doesn’t care what choices he has. He won’t be labelled one of them.

 “H-neun’s family was murdered by royalists,” L-elf says. “It’s nothing personal, Kriemhild, but his hatred of you cause is simply a byproduct of his life experiences.”

 “Will you stop telling everyone my life story?” H-neun snaps.

 “I apologise, H-neun,” Kriemhild says H-neun glances up. She sounds like she actually means it. “I wasn’t aware you had suffered for our cause as well.” She frowns and H-neun wonders if she’s biting back a comment about only killing people who deserved it. “We do try to avoid damaging innocent lives.”

 “Let’s just get on with this.”

 

 L-elf nods and gets down to business. H-neun’s at least glad that L-elf is willing to back him up on remaining here. This was their lifeline, after all. As long as they can say they’re after L-elf, they’ll manage. And then suddenly L-elf is running off. H-neun glares after him. What the hell?

 “L-elf?!” Tokishima yells.

 The students are unnerved. There are murmurs about leaving the mission. About how dangerous it is to be here without him. Should they follow him? Should they abort? H-neun frowns. He doesn’t want to step in. It’s not his place.

 “- right, H-neun?” H-neun blinks and lifts his head a little. Tokishima is right in front of him smiling slightly. “We have to trust he has something important to do and we need to carry on with the mission, right?”

 “What are you asking me for?” H-neun mutters.

 “Because you’re kinda the most qualified after L-elf,” he says with a smile. H-neun scowls at him. He’s not going to get attached to these kids. He’s not going to become a new mother hen for them like L-elf has. “And we’re on the same side now. You’re one of us.” H-neun narrows his eyes slightly. “What do you think we should do?”

 H-neun sighs. “For L-elf to have abandoned a mission, it’s important. Obviously whoever he thinks is here is important so let’s trust him to get on with that, and we’ll get on with our job. I’ve got your backs.”

 “Right,” Tokishima says, beaming up at him.

 

 H-neun isn’t interested in the drama going on with the JIORans. Family isn’t something he knows about and it’s not something he cares about. He’s far more interested in the fact that this man created the Valvraves and turned their kids into Magius.

 “We should get going,” H-neun says. “We don’t have time to argue over the morality of war.”

 “Don’t you feel anything?” Inuzuka mutters. “This is his father. Shouldn’t you of all people understand what’s it’s like to be-”

 “X and I chose this path,” he hisses. “Don’t act like you understand at all.”

 “You and L-elf have been different since coming into Dorssiana,” he says. H-neun turns away. “You’re not comfortable here.”

 “Let’s get going, anyone who wants to be saved, let’s go,” he calls, turning away and pulling Tokishima by the back of his collar. He glances down at him, and Tokishima is frowning slightly. _Annoying._ H-neun puts a hand on his head and Tokishima jolts, turning to stare up at him. “Next time you throw a punch like that, you should twist your body with it. You’ll never manage to land one on L-elf in that shape.”

 Tokishima stares at him for a moment before nodding. “You’ll have to teach me when we get back home.”

 “Sure thing. It’ll be worth seeing L-elf’s face when you manage to knock him on his ass. His defence is always always anyway.”

 “It is?”

 “D grade,” H-neun replies. “Always pissed him off when we pointed it out.”

 Tokishima nods and follows along. Everything goes smoothly. The scientists are loaded, the Valvraves are in, the only things even marginally concerning is L-elf’s disappearance and Tokishima’s father. Although, L-elf’s location isn’t hard to figure out when they spot the amount of soldiers heading towards a tower. Tokishima, of course, it getting suited up to go after him straight away.

 “Keep everyone safe,” he says, glancing down at H-neun and Inuzuka. “I’ll bring L-elf back in no time.”

 H-neun sighs and nods. “Tell him when he gets back here I’m gonna kick his ass for abandoning us.”

 “Sure thing.”

 

 H-neun isn’t really fond of being stuff in charge of the kids. He’s not really a leader and strategist type. He’d much rather hand that sort of thing off to X-eins and L-elf.  He sighs as they break into the museum to find it already surrounded by Cain and his forces. H-neun sighs, watching them. Would A-drei be with them? Would Cain give them another chance to escape?

 “H-neun?” Inuzuka calls. He turns. “Yamada and Akira are on their way, and Haruto will be bringing L-elf but with them out there blocking us in, how are we supposed to get the shuttle out? We’ll overheat the Valvraves, but-”

 “We need another way out,” H-neun says.

 “We could always surrender,” one of the kids says.

 “They’ll kill us,” he says, shaking his head. “Or, you. The pilots, L-elf and I’ll be taken into custody and that’s a lot worse.”

 “Then what do we do?” they snap.

 “Get on the shuttle,” H-neun says. “You’ll be safer from anything falling and ready to go. We need to be ready to go.”

 “Right,” Satomi calls, herding them all away. He’s not the leader he’d like to be, but he’s a pretty good second, H-neun has realised that in such a short amount of time. “Everyone on board, we’ll be ready when L-elf gives the word.”

 H-neun sighs, drumming his fingers against his pistol, considering the situation. There has to be something they can do. He doesn’t want to rely on L-elf wholly. There has to be something more. He sighs and tilts his head. There has to be something. The purple and yellow Valvraves return and H-neun turns slowly.

 “Alright,” he calls up the the Valvraves. “We’re gonna work this in turns, that’ll give you guys time to cool off your Valvraves and hopefully lower the chances of overheating. Yellow, you’re up first. Do what you can to get rid of the ground. They’re weak on top. If you can hit the powercore, you might be able to knock out a few at once.”

 “You’re alright going against your own people?” Inuzuka says.

 “They turned on us first,” H-neun replies, clenching his trembling fist. “Kill. Don’t get killed. Haven’t I told you kids that enough yet? You learn these lessons or you die! Get that through your heads! This is war, this is the way it is, I’m not going to shy away from it and neither should you!”

 “You’ll do anything to protect that guy, huh?” Yamada mutters.

 “I’m on your side now,” he says, glancing away. “You don’t need to question me. As long as Module 77 is our home, we’ll fight to protect it. Now, get on with it, Yamada. Miss Hacker-”

 “Akira,” the purple Valvrave pilot says. “You can call me Akira.”

 “Akira,” he says, nodding slightly. “Can you get up a schematic of the city for me? I need to have a look at our options.”

 “Right.”

 They move out and a map from one of the museum's projectors opens up. H-neun sighs, looking it over slowly. There has to be something they can do. Some way to get everyone out safely. Although, if they do get caught here, perhaps that will count as capturing L-elf and they can go home. He sighs and tilts his head.

 “What would you do, L-elf?” he murmurs, eyes narrowed slightly. He frowns. “The bridge, right?”

 “H-neun?” Inuzuka says.

 “He’ll go for the bridge,” H-neun says. “It’s the only option. Ok! We’re gonna use the bridge behind us as a runway, since we can’t get out the front. Turn the shuttle around. We’re going to leave breaking the wall as long as we can so they don’t suspect and hopefully can’t get around to block us.”

 “How do lower the bridge?” Satomi calls from the shuttle door.

 “Leave that to me,” he says. “I’ll go meet L-elf out there.”

 “L-elf?” Akira whispers.

 “I’ll bet anything that’s where he’s heading,” H-neun replies, heading away into the museum. “Be ready to go when we give you the signal. Keep cycling the Valvraves as long as you can Aim for the Kirschbaum's heads if you can. Tell Tokishima when he gets back. Be ready, I mean it!”

 This is his home now. He’ll fight for it. He’ll protect this place. For him and X-eins. For their future. Their lives. That mean he’ll protect those students, guide them back to Module 77, bring L-elf back to them and tell them how to defeat their technology. He will turn traitor over and over, betray everyone and everything, just to hang onto X-eins. His pride, his bonds, his morals and principles, his country even his life.

 Everything and anything for X-eins. Always.

 And if L-elf is so injured by escaping whatever he’s doing and offers H-neun a chance to capture him, he won’t turn it down.

 

 It’s easy to take the long way to the bridge. He’s can remember the map well enough. He’s not as good at this part of X-eins and L-elf and even A-drei, but he can remember it short term enough to know where he’s going for now. Soldiers are quickly dispatched of, most seem to be worrying over L-elf. They’re not expecting him. He doesn’t bother with bullets. He’s more than comfortable to get up close and personal. It feels like the least he can do, really. If he’s going to kill his own countrymen, who are only serving and have done thing wrong, just as he and X-eins had done nothing to deserve their fate, he will at least carry their lives in his hands. He’ll end their lives with his own strength.

 “Come on, L-elf,” he growls, hurrying up the stairs towards the control room. “Please, make it here. I need you alive.”

 “It’s a good job I am infinitely more competent than you, H-neun,” L-elf says with a cough. H-neun spins. He’s at the bottom of the steps. A bullet tears across his arm and he staggers, swinging around but H-neun beats him to it. The shooter goes down with a single shot, the two others behind him following. “Thank you.”

 “I need you alive,” H-neun says, holding out a hand. L-elf glares at him for a moment before taking it. “Come on.”

 “I’m glad some of X-eins and I lecturing you has stuck,” he says as H-neun helps him up into the control room. “You knew where I would go. That saves me having to waste time explaining to them.”

 “I always listen to all of X’s lectures.”

 “I’m not sure for the right reasons.”

 “The kids should be waiting,” H-neun says. “All we gotta do is drop the bridge.”

 

 L-elf nods and gets in contact with the kids as H-neun turns to getting the bridge down. There’s an explosion from the museum and there’s chaos above. The Dorssian forces figuring out where they’re going.

 “You realise the obvious problem with this plan?” L-elf murmurs. “As I am, I’m not strong enough to make it back and they can’t wait.”

 “That’s why I’m here,” H-neun replies. “I’m going to get you back to them.”

 “Or take me to Cain?” he laughs bitterly, lifting his own pistol to H-neun’s chest. “I should take you with me, don’t you think?”

 “Are you ready to give up?” he says softly. L-elf frowns. “If you’re going to give up, I’ll take you in. But if you’re going to keep fighting, I’ll follow you and fight for a home for X-eins and myself.” L-elf’s frown deepens and his eyes soften. “I don’t think we can ever go back home like we want, but I’ll risk it to make a new home on Module 77.”

 “A country to protect the person you love, huh?” L-elf murmurs.

 “Something like that,” he replies with a sheepish smile. L-elf nods and pushes off the wall. H-neun catches him as he falls and staggers. He helps him carefully up to his feet again, letting him lean against him. “I’d do anything for him, you know.”

 “I know,” he says. “That’s why I’m going to use you both as much as I can.”

 “Then let’s get back there so you can get back to plotting, huh?”

 L-elf nods and H-neun throws his arm over his shoulder, helping him limp along back from the control room. He knows L-elf told the students not to worry and just leave but if they can just get back there in time they’ll manage. If not, they’ll find their own way home. He and X-eins have managed this far, he’ll manage with L-elf too. Albeit, less amiably.

 “I’m glad you two are getting along,” comes Tokishima’s voice as the shuttle tears across the bridge. They turn and the red Valvrave is in front of them. “Did you really think I would leave you two here?”

 “No,” L-elf says. “I always factor you into my plans. It was H-neun I didn’t expect.”

 “Let’s just get going before they get too far.”


	21. Practical And Theory

 The students are watching H-neun warily on the trip back. L-elf had locked himself away in one of the cargo stores and won’t come out. Apparently his resolution that he wouldn’t show any weakness in front of H-neun has been broken. He can’t say he doesn’t understand. He’s not sure he’d be able to simply carry on if he lost X-eins. He’d push on, of course, but on a trip home he might well simply lock himself away until he was needed.

 More importantly, the students are aware L-elf is the only one who can realistically control him if he wants to rebel. There’s talk about just locking him away and drugging him. These kids really has learning from L-elf. Lock him away in one of the areas with enough sedatives to keep him quiet until they could get him secure back on Module 77. It’s a reasonable plan. H-neun himself ignores all that though. He sits against L-elf’s door, keeping solemn watch over what could well be his prisoner. The children seem content with that for now. They seem resigned to his position as L-elf’s guard and let him wait.

 “H-neun?” He glances up, not entirely unsurprised it’s only Tokishima. He seems to be the only one who really makes any effort to talk to him. Perhaps because he seems so close to L-elf he’s not afraid of him either. “Umm, I thought you might want something eat.”

 “What is it?” H-neun says, looking down at the bar he’s been handed. 

 “It’s our speciality,” he says. H-neun frowns but nods and takes a bite. It’s surprisingly good. Tokishima laughs. “That’s the face L-elf makes when he tries Shoko’s cooking too. He acts like he doesn’t like it, but he’s kinda a softie. I think you’ll like it at home with us. I think L-elf does too. I know, it won’t be your real home but maybe you’ll at least be comfortable with us. Or at least, not uncomfortable.”

 “What do you want, kid?” Tokishima frowns at him. “I’m sure you’re a nice kid, but you’re here chatting with me for a reason, right?”

 “Do you think L-elf’s going to be ok?” he asks.

 H-neun smiles bitterly. “In time, I’m sure. He’s probably running simulations. Looking for a way he could have saved her. Where it went wrong. Who to blame.”

 “She was a Magius,” Tokishima says. H-neun frowns. “She told me details about the council. Their history. She’d rebelled against the council. If she hadn’t, she would have have the power to recover, to live.” He sighs and tilts his head. “When Dorssia invaded, that first day you guys turned up, I thought Shoko had been killed. That’s why I got in the Valvrave. To avenge her. To make you all pay.” 

 “You were impressive for a beginner,” H-neun says.

 “You were there?”

 “X and I were on the bridge giving out orders,” he replies. “You saw A-drei and Q-vier in their Ideals. We don’t tend to work apart very often. Well, X-eins was giving out orders mostly. I think he was mostly telling me to stand around and look pretty while he worked.” 

 “I imagine he relies on you a lot more than that,” Tokishima laughs.

 “I’m certainly better in the field than I am on the bridge,” he says.

 Tokishima smiles. “Given you guys are pretty amazing at everything, I suppose that’s relative. You think L-elf just needs time then?”

 “I hope so,” H-neun says. “Hopefully he’ll work through his simulation, figure out who he wants to blame and he’ll be ready to rain hell on those responsible by the time we get back.”

 “I hope so too. And I’m sure X-eins and Saki will be back soon too. We can get you and X-eins a proper room to do whatever it is you two do together.”

 “At least you’re not going to get nosey like L-elf.”

 “Haha, no thanks,” he laughs, waving his hands. “Like I’m good knowing you two are together and you can leave out the details.”

 H-neun is glad. Dealing with people prying into his relationship is annoying. And he knows it annoys X-eins just as much. It’s night for someone to just accept they’re together and not stick their noses in.

 

 “So, what do you think we should do about this Phantom? Since we can’t ask L-elf.”

 “What do you guys think you should do?” H-neun says. “I’m not going to hold your hand and steer you through it like L-elf.”

 Tokishima frowns. “Well, I assume there’s some Magius guards there to collect people to fill the Phantom. We can’t let it reach our home. We can’t let everyone go through that. We have to do something.” 

 “I’m not arguing with that,” he says. Tokishima frowns. “So, what are you going to do?”

 “Capture it.” H-neun nods a little. It’s logical. “But, since we can’t tell people about the Magius we have to keep it quiet.” That’s more problematic. “And then we have to figure out how to free them.”

 “You’re assuming they can be freed,” H-neun says. It’s not what he wants to hear, H-neun is sure. From what he understands, these Phantoms are full of Dorssians too, where the Magius got those so called syphoned Runes from. “If the Magius have been sucking Runes from them long enough, there might not anything left to save.”

 Tokishima frowns at him. He must have thought about it. It’s hardly what H-neun wants to think about by he’s been trained to be logical and rational where he can be. 

 “If you want my honest opinion… destroy it.” Tokishima stares down at him and H-neun smiles bitterly. “Those people would never be found anyway. I’d imagine if there was a change of discovery, they’d simply get rid of everyone involved. Those people have been lost from the moment Dorssia took them.”

 “But… but we could-”

 “I’m just saying, in the grand scheme of things, destroying the Phantom and everyone on board doesn’t change anything,” H-neun snaps. “I’m not saying it’s easy or right, but that is what I’d do given the command. Those people would never be found, whether we kill them or whether the Magius have them. Assuming you can save them does nothing. What if you can? They’re still gone, only you have the issue of keeping it hidden and not letting on what’s happening. I doubt you could even call it practical, since I doubt you’d accept any suggestion to use the syphoned Runes rather than feeding on your schoolmates.”

 “L-elf and I have an agreement,” Tokishima says. “I only feed from him.” H-neun smirks. “What?”

 “What happens when you’ve drained him? You’d need someone else. What happens if someone else takes your place? If you’re drained and can’t go on? Would L-elf still feed them?” He groans and stretches his hands above his head, arching his back and biting back a yawn. “Anyway, that’s just my opinion. You asked.”

 Tokishima sighs and stands. “You really are just like him.”

 “This is war, Tokishima,” H-neun replies. “Don’t ever hesitate.”

 “R-right. Thanks. Let me know if there’s any change with L-elf.”

 “Sure.”

 He walks away, leaving H-neun alone in near silence ones more. He doesn’t know what the students will do. He’ll run with whatever they give him to work with. He doesn’t enjoy the silence though. It’s uncomfortable and cold. He doesn’t want to deal with it. He doesn’t want to think about the terrible things that could be happening to X-eins and he’d never know. 

 

 H-neun sighs and stands slowly, knocking on the door and headining without waiting. L-elf is working through theories and simulations, just as he’d expected. They’re crossed out all over the walls. Poor L-elf. It’s not like H-neun doesn’t have some sympathy for the situation. He does feel sorry for him. He’s done everything for this woman and she’s gone. He must be suffering so much.

 “L-elf-”

 “I should have been able to save her,” L-elf hisses. “Why can’t I figure out how to save her?”

 “Maybe you couldn’t,” H-neun says softly.

 “I could,” he says, crossing out another formula that H-neun assumes is a simulation but won’t guess what it means. “There has to be a way. There has to be something I’ve missed. Something I didn’t do. Something- something- I don’t even know what happened. How am I supposed to know what to do if I don’t know what happened?!”

 “Idiot,” he sighs, pulling L-elf around and wrapping him up in his arms. L-elf goes stiff, pen falling to the ground but not shoving him off straight away. “It’s alright to be in pain, L-elf. It’s alright to be hurt because you lost someone.” 

 “What are you doing?” L-elf whispers hoarsely. 

 “Hugging you, moron.” 

 “I understood that. Why, though? What’s the point?”

 “Because it’s what normal people do when someone they care about is in pain. It’s supposed to be comforting.” 

 “I fail to see the appeal.”

 Even so, L-elf’s fingers clench around his sleeves and he lowers his head a little, body softening ever so slightly. H-neun doesn’t acknowledge the changed and doesn’t move to hold him closer or invade his personal space any further. This is sort of weird for both of them, after all. He does laugh softly though, closing his eyes for a moment.

 “You really aren’t human though, are you?”

 “You think too much of me,” L-elf whispers. 

 “I do,” H-neun replies. “I think the world of you. No matter how much you drive me insane. No matter how annoyingly smug you are. Even if we’re on opposite sides and we’re always going to be potential enemies, you’re still our friend and our leader and we’d never dare underestimate.”

 L-elf nods a little and steps back, turning back to his scribbling on the wall. “What about you? Do you have any suggestions?”

 “I think you can drive yourself insane with what ifs, L-elf.”

 “Just tell me,” he snaps, shaking his head. “What would you have done? In my place, if it was X-eins?”

 “I’d want someone to tell me the truth.” L-elf nods and H-neun frowns. “You rushed. You abandoned the mission. She was safe where she was and your reckless thinking and lack of plan of escape lead her to her death.” L-elf nods slowly. “I’m sorry if that was too harsh.”

 “I asked for the truth.”

 “You did.”

 “I need to get back to work.”

 He turns back to the wall, picks up his pen and starts scrawling again, muttering to himself as he goes. H-neun sighs. What else can he do? The poor guy’s going to have to work it out himself.

 

 “You’re not going to attempt to restrain me?” L-elf says.

 “There’s no point here,” H-neun replies. “We’re in the middle of space. I’ve have to restrain you, kill every kid in the place and deal with your pilots before they could turn do anything, take control of the shuttle and get you to a Dorssian ship. That’s a lot of work to do on my own. You’re grieving. As long as you’ve sorted yourself out by the time we get to module, I don’t see much reason to care about this wobble.”

 “You really are too much of a good man for the military.”

 “Tokishima Haruto and the students don’t seem to think so.” He smiles bitterly and heads to the door. “I hope you figure it out soon, L-elf.”

 “I will. Soon. I’m missing something, that’s all. Chatting away with you isn’t helping. Get out.”

 H-neun nods, leaving him to work out what he needs to. Not that H-neun has anything else to do anyway. He returns to his silent watch outside L-elf’s door. He can hardly go interact with the kids and without X-eins he has no one else to be with. He can only hope X-eins is ok. He’ll be coming home soon. They’ll be together again soon, he’s sure. He just has to keep believing that. He closes his eyes and leans back against the door, listening to the quiet murmurs of the students through the shuttle. How’s he going to fit in without L-elf and X-eins? How’s he supposed to get the students to trust him without L-elf to say he was trustworthy? And for the first time in a long time, H-neun feels completely alone.

 

 The trip is uneventful and quiet. H-neun doesn’t bother asking for new on the Phantom or if there’s any new from Rukino and X-eins. L-elf isn’t heard from either. But that’s alright. He’s sure he’ll figure it out, or he’ll drag him back to Dorssia to face charges. It totally sucks though.

 And then they’re at Module 77. H-neun hides away, letting the students talk and have a happy reunion. He lets everyone enjoy themselves and hangs back into the shadows. It’s weird. H-neun is used to be in the centre of the social situation. He’s used to getting out their and chatting. He wants to be social, but it doesn’t feel right.

 “So, they really did bring back another couple of Dorssian dogs.” H-neun sighs, standing from the floor. The door opens and the students yell. “Hey, don’t walk away from us.”

 He closes the door again and sits on one of the crates. He doesn’t want to deal with any of this. He just wants X-eins back and safe. Although, X-eins would hate it. If it’s making H-neun awkward, X-eins would hate it. L-elf is still scribbling on the walls, muttering to himself. At least they’re all wary enough of L-elf not to disturb them.

 

 It’s hours until the door actually opens. H-neun, of course, recognises the girl in the doorway. The supposed Prime Minister of New JIOR. Sashinami Shoko. H-neun jumps off the crate and heads out to join her in the hall. Tokishima is with her. The door shuts behind him and he sighs.

 “Can I help you?” 

 “How’s L-elf?” Tokishima says.

 “Still working over his simulations ,” H-neun replies. “As soon as he works out what’s actually going on, what he’s missed and how he could have saved her, he should improve. Frustrating as it is, you have to just let him work through this alone. Nothing will help until he’s done.”

 “Well, if there’s nothing to be done about him right now,” he says with a frown. “The cabinet wants to talk to you.”

 “Why? I didn’t think I’d be of interest and I’m not much for politics.”

 “To start, you’re a Dorssian,” Sashinami says. “Without L-elf to say you’re trustworthy and keep you in line we have to make do ourselves. Plus, the cabinet should meet all our new allies, don’t you think?”

 “L-elf said he had plans for you guys,” Tokishima says. “So, it’s important we all have to talk to you and find out about your friend.”

 “I’m not very good at this politics stuff, I’m afraid. I doubt I’d do much good.”

 “We’re not exactly professionals here either,” Sashinami laughs. She grins and grasps his hands, pulling him away down the hall. And H-neun is rather too lost to realise what’s going on. “The camera crew is out of the way, so we can take you down there without worrying about awkward questions being broadcast.”

 “Camera crew?”

 “There’s a news team here.”

 Oh great. There’s no way H-neu is getting caught helping these students on camera. 

 

 Even so he’s being dragged along by the students and into what looks like a classroom moved around to act like a council room. There are students already sitting around. Tokishima and Sashinami move around and take their seats. There are a few missing through. Two conspicuously empty seats. He’s met a lot of them already, a lot of them had come down to the planet with them, but there’s a few he’s still not met. Yamada’s sitting on one of the tables pushed against the wall, and there’s a phone open in the middle. He can only assume L-elf and the pilots regularly join the cabinet meetings. He can’t imagine L-elf giving up much in the way of control, after all. Or that they got very far without him. At least at the start. 

 “Can you hear and see alright, Akira?” Sashinami says. 

 “Yes,” Akira whispers over the phone.

 “Good,” she says, smiling bitterly. “As you’ve all noticed we’re missing Marie and Saki. Marie was lost in action on the surface.” 

 There’s a soft murmur of condolences. H-neun can’t help the awkwardness twisting through his gut. If they hadn’t been out there with their Kirschbaums, would their friend still be alive? He has to shake that. He’s not going to start feeling guilty about that. People who felt guilty over soldiers who died in battle were all but useless.

 “And Saki’s location is unknown,” she continues. “Although I’m told your friend is waiting to escort her back to us, H-neun?”

 “Those were L-elf’s orders,” H-neun replies.

 “Who says he’ll follow L-elf’s orders?” Yamada hisses.

 H-neun narrows his eyes at him. “Those are L-elf’s orders. If you think X-eins intends to keep Rukino Saki prisoner, you still have me as a hostage, don’t you? We don’t have much other option, anyway.”

 “Why should we trust you?” one of the girls snaps. She wasn’t on the surface with them. “You be here just to get into our secrets, get us to lower our guard and take our Valvraves.”

 “I could well be,” he replies. “So could L-elf. There’s nothing to say he’s not simply playing a long game, that Dorssia is conceding defeats while slowly moving around to corner you. Or did you forget that we allowed you to destroy nearly an entire fleet just so we could come up from beneath with the drill. Dorssia views most of its soldiers as expendable tools. They wouldn’t care how many lives were lost for their goal.”

 “That doesn’t really help,” Tokishima says. 

 “I’m never going to able able to prove I’m not a double agent. Anything I did against Dorssia could be construed as maintaining cover for a larger goal. You just have to decide whether you want to take that risk or not.” He sighs and folds his arms. “Look, we just found out the guy who’s raised us since we were children has actually been planning to sacrifice us to some occult council and the fact that we’d rather not die like that has found us declared traitors. At this point I’m perfectly happy just to have somewhere safe. I couldn’t care less about the rest of it.”

 “You’re always good at the speeches,” Yamada grumbles.

 “But you have helped us a lot,” Inuzuka says. 

 “And he’s not held that stunt with X-eins against you, Yamada,” Tokishima laughs.

 “Trust me, I blame L-elf more for that than you,” H-neun mutters. 

 “Why can’t you just explain all this to your friends?” Sashinami says.

 “Death to traitors,” he replies. She frowns. “That’s what every Dorssian soldier is taught from the moment they enter the military. You kill traitors without hesitation and without mercy, no matter who they are or what they mean to you. Cain betrayed us. We fully intend to make us pay.”

 “But he’s your superior,” Satomi says.

 “And? He betrayed Dorssia and us,” he snaps. They frown slightly. “Leaders must be as loyal to their people are their people are to them.” He fixes Sashinami with a firm glare. “You’d do well to remember that. If there are people willing to give their lives for you, to protect you, you should never betray them. Why should they protect you if you won’t protect them in return?”

 “I’m doing my best,” Sashinami says with a grin. “And I’m going to keep doing my best. For everyone.”

 H-neun nods slightly. He thinks he believes her. That’s a good thing, at least. He doesn’t want to be facing another leader who will betray them. Even if them betraying the students is as much an option as ever. But not until X-eins returns at least. He won’t do anything without X-eins. He does his best to answer their questions and help them figure out what to do with him. He’d really rather not face a camera crew if he can help it, after all. It’d be easier if he could just focus on L-elf and waiting for X-eins to return. 

 

 “You can at least help us practice piloting, right?” Tokishima says. “Since you’re sure we’re getting by on advanced tech alone.”

 “You have simulators here, right? I can prove it.”

 And that’s how Tokishima ends up in the simulator room, pulling on an uncomfortable strange pilot’s suit and getting into the simulator as Tokishima does the same. H-neun glances around the cockpit as the holographic system puts them out in space, as if it really was a battlefield. Tokishima’s simulated model is red and H-neun’s matching one is green. Nice to know the colours are customisable, at least. He frowns, slowly taking the controls and getting a feel for them.

 “Is it different to a Dorssian cockpit?” one of the engineers says over a feed.

 “Very,” H-neun replies. “All Dorssian cockpits are pretty much standard, except for model specific additions. We can all swap units and models as needed. They’re standardised for efficiency.”

 “You’re both set to standard uncustomized model Valvraves,” the teacher says. H-neun nods slightly. “You have standard armaments and nothing else. This will be a straight combat test.”

 “It will be nice to have someone to teach us to pilot better,” Inuzuka mutters in the background. 

 H-neun moves the controls slowly, getting the arms and legs moving, figuring out basic things like propulsion and movement. If he can move, he can fight, that’s good enough for him. 

 “Alright,” he calls. “I think I’ve got the basics at least. I’ll figure out the rest as I go.”

 “That’s the method that got us this far,” Tokishima laughs. “Whenever you’re ready, H-neun.”

 “Let’s go.”

 “You win when you opponent overheats or the Valvrave is incapacitated,” the teacher calls. “Ready?” H-neun nods. “Go.”

 

 The battlefield around them comes to life and H-neun is grateful for the detail in the simulation. It helps him focus as he could in battle. Just got to remember spatial awareness. He’s in a chest cockpit, not a head cockpit. Tokishima is already coming at him. H-neun swings around, avoiding a slash from the sickle blade and firing on Tokishima’s back, letting the momentum push him away. 

 “You’re pretty fast,” Tokishima hisses.

 “You’re not efficient with your movements,” H-neun replies. “Without gravity, you can do a lot with not much. You’ve got to learn to use that. You’ll probably overheat a lot less and waste a lot less movement.”

 “Right.”

 He swings around, struggling to control the turn and firing on H-neun again. The fire is pushed back by a shield. This must be the hard light they’ve seen the Valvrave’s use. H-neun doesn’t waste time on that though, using the hard light as a cover to get in close to Tokishima with a few easy boosts in the right place. Tokishima yelps as H-neun lands a punch on the torso, opening fire once more and keeping the engines powered up to stop the force pushing them apart. Once sure he’s taken enough of a beating to get the message, H-neun drives a kick into the cockpit, using it as a kickoff and letting them float apart.

 “Haruto, get it together.” 

 “Come on, man, you’ve not even got a hit.”

 “Haruto!”

 “You know if this was a real battle, I’d have just put a blade in your cockpit there?” H-neun says. 

 “I guess I should be grateful you’re going easy on me, huh Hano?” Tokishima laughs. 

 “H-Hano?! Who the hell do you think-”

 Tokishima shoots in once more, blade raised. Well, at least it feels more like he’s going all out. Back at the academy they were trained to do treat simulations as if they were real battles. There were always harsh punishments for losing. Tokishima has to start thinking like that too. H-neun grabs one of the blades. It would swing out into the sickle but H-neun keeps it closed, using it’s edge to block Tokishima’s slice and booting his cockpit once more. 

 

 “Are you even trying?” H-neun snaps, opening up both sickles and chopping the robots forearm clean off. “You’re not going to beat me if you’re not serious. No wonder you couldn’t beat Cain in a broken Valvrave is this is the best you could do? What does L-elf even see in you?”

 Tokishima swing for him with the other blade and H-neun blocks with another shield of hard light, guiding the robot up and firing down on him. 

 “Shouldn’t you being trying harder?” H-neun sighs. “After everything I’ve done to you and your friends? We were the ones who sent the message home for the invasion to begin, weren’t we? It’s all our fault. All the pain and suffering. That you have to defend your home. That your families have been torn from you. All the people we’ve killed. All the people I’ve killed.”

 Tokishima’s movements are growing erratic and desperate. H-neun smiles, dancing around him with ease. He’s letting his emotions control him. He’s getting angry and not think. 

 “All the kids I killed with that poison gas drill,” he murmurs. “Not that they were very important, huh? They didn’t do much of importance, right? You know, I’d probably do it again if ordered. I didn’t feel a thing.” 

 “They were people!” Tokishima yells. “Their lives mattered, you bastard!”

 “Or what about your friend? Marie, right? You lost her at Karlstein. Didn’t L-elf say she ended up in the cockpit because of the collapse?”

 “Don’t you dare!”

 “Collapse is a funny term, isn’t it? Let’s call it what it was. My pod missiles.”

 That does it nicely. Tokishima just wants to tear him apart. H-neun lets him swing wildly, slicing away limbs that come within reach until he’s helpless. He sighs and tilts his head, driving the blade straight through Tokishima’s cockpit to end the simulation. The battlefield goes still and he can hear Tokishima’s heavy breathing over the comms.

 “Not bad.”

 

 H-neun steps out the training cockpit, pulling off his helmet with a heavy sigh. Tokishima jumps from his own simulator cockpit and lungages straight for him. Of course, H-neun understands. He’d said some pretty nasty stuff. No wonder Tokishima couldn’t land a hit on L-elf if this is how he does it. He kicks Tokishima’s legs from under him, knocking him to the ground and sitting over him with a knife to his throat. Tokishima stares up at him as the others come running over.

 “You-”

 “Lemme give you a hint, Tokishima Haruto,” H-neun says softly, “don’t let your opponent talk. And if they do, don’t listen. Just kill. Quickly, cleanly, efficiently.” He stands and slips the knife away, offering Tokishima his hand to help him up. Tokishima hesitates for a moment before taking his hand and letting H-neun help him up. “Not bad though, kid. I’m pretty sure I can turn you children into decent pilots.” 

 “You know you’re like a year older than us,” Inuzuka mutters. 

 “But we’ve got to start with the basics, I’m afraid. Starting from the ground up never does any harm after all. Unfortunately.” He smiles back at Sashinami. “I’m going to need a classroom. And maybe half a dozen other students L-elf decided had the highest piloting potential after this lot. And a way to get in touch with Akira. And I will go check in with L-elf. As quickly as possible, please.”

 “No problem,” Sashinami chirps.

 “Why does that sound like technical theory?” Yamada yells after him. 

 “Because it is,” he replies with a wave.


	22. Home

 Being a teacher is weird. H-neun hasn’t done this since Karlstein, really. And even that was just passing on advice to younger kids. Actually teaching is weird. Even so, H-neun is doing his best. If they’re going to remain in Module 77, he and X-eins will have to make themselves useful. This is good step. So, he has the pilots and a small group of backups working between the classroom and the simulators, running through the basics of piloting. These are the foundations that would allow them to pilot to the best of their ability. That had allowed H-neun to pilot a robot he didn’t understand and never seen before, and win.

 They’re various levels of interested. H-neun thinks they might all actually paying attention but some - like Yamada Raizo, for instance - don’t want to show it. They pick up fast. He remembers X-eins theorising they’d been raised to be soldiers, only more discreetly. What he’d heard of the Tokishima family argument, he’s pretty sure they were right. It’s all basics though. The sort of thing they’d learnt during their Karlstein training. Things they should keep in mind the entire time. Like how space works. There’s no friction, nothing to stop your momentum, very little gravity. The differences between piloting on the planet and in space. None of them look impressed to be running over the basics like this but given when he questions them they have no idea, it’s obviously needed.

 “Your Valvraves might be fancy and high tech but technology moves on,” H-neun scolds. “If you can’t even understand basic piloting you won’t be able to keep up. I think we proved yesterday that faced with someone in the same model, you’re not up to standard. Or do I have to remind you lot how thoroughly Cain defeated you? Or what happened when you came at our Kirschbaums?”

 “If you’re so good why don’t you pilot a Valvrave and protect us?” one of the students snaps. “You and L-elf?” 

 “Because we don’t have the right genes for it,” he snaps. It’s the best excuse. He’s not going to waste time explaining the Magius to people who won’t understand. “The Valvraves are genetically locked so only those with the right genes can pilot them. In case you haven’t realised, this school is a base for the top secret military base working on the Valvraves. Everyone admitted to the school had the right genetic makeup to pilot a Valvrave. L-elf and I do not. The ARUS pilot who tried to pilot a Valvrave got turned into goop, right?”

 “You guys know about that?” Tokishima says.

 “We were monitoring the ARUS transmissions. L-elf and I would kill to be able to get into a Valvrave. As we said on the surface, if we could the war would be over swiftly and brutally, but we can’t. Teaching you kids is really the best we can do right now.” 

 

 “Come on, give us a break,” Yamada groans, slumping over his desk.

 “Yamada Raizo,” H-neun growls. He sits up slightly. “If you’re so certain you don’t need my help, debrief me, won’t you? What happened on the Karlstein battlefield? Why were you so outclassed and why did half your Valvrave end up on the floor?”

 “This is bullshit.”

 “Yamada,” Tokishima and Inuzuka sigh.

 “But shouldn’t you know what mistakes you made?” H-neun says, leaning down to Yamada’s eyeline. “Debriefing is one of the most important parts of any mission.”

 “You guys had those monster robots we weren’t ready for,” Yamada hisses, glaring right back. 

 “They’re going into mass production though,” he replies. “Q-vier and A-drei’s were being put together while we were testing. They will be standard within the month. The Ideals will simply become work horses and cannon fodder, just like the Waffe.” Yamada clicks his tongue and H-neun straightens up, turning to the other students. “So, debrief me on the Karlstein mission. As a group if you have to. Peer review is important. What went wrong?”

 “Haruto didn’t follow the plan,” Inuzuka said. “That’s what L-elf said.”

 “L-elf and X-eins have a plan addiction,” H-neun replies, heading back to the front and sitting on the desk. “Not quite, there are always times when your plan has to be changed on the fly. Try again.”

 “We lost contact,” Akira whispers over the phone.

 “Much better,” he laughs. “Absolutely right. Plans very rarely go perfectly. And I know L-elf is terrible for it, but communication is the absolute key. You all stopped communicating. If you have to adjust, let people know somehow.” They nod slightly. “Tokishima-”

 “You can just call me Haruto.”

 “-why didn’t you communicate? I’m sure L-elf tried.”

 “Marie… Marie wanted answers about the Valvraves,” Tokishima says. “She was demanding an explanation.”

 “In the middle of a battle? When you were supposed to be fighting?” he snaps.

 “But I-”

 “I’m sure L-elf was pissed.” Tokishima nods. “He’s right to be. You and her were being idiots. Why on earth would you think it was a good idea to take a break and explain something entirely irrelevant to the mission when people were relying on you?” Tokishima frowns and tilts his head away. “Get a thicker skin, Tokishima, if you can’t confront your failures you’ll never learn and will just repeat them. This is for your own good.”

 “Y-yeah, I know,” he murmurs. “You’re still not as harsh as L-elf.”

 “Good. Trust me, if you get a lecture by X, you’ll be glad for my way of teaching,” H-neun says, leaning on his knees. “So, come on. You’re supposed to be learning to stand on your own. What else? Tokishima stopped communicating, wasted time with Marie, forced L-elf out of position to deal with it, which he shouldn’t have done either, by the way. This is all before X and I turned up. What else?”

 “We had to keep fighting on our own,” Inuzuka says. H-neun nods. “We were handling it but because of that our heat levels were too high.”

 “Right.”

 “Yamada engaged recklessly with units that they didn’t have intel on,” another says.

 H-neun nods. “Instead they should have…?”

 “Put Inuzuka first,” Tokishima says. “To test their capabilities from a defensive position.”

 “Exactly,” he says with a smile. “The blue Valvrave’s shields are still shields, even when the unit itself has overheated. Alternatively, Akira, you were alone and waiting and concerned, what could you have done to help?”

 “Umm… ah…”

 “You had access to the Dorssian ship, right?” Tokishima says.

 “Oh, right,” Yamada says. “You could have hacked in an given us info.”

 “Or got in contact, at least,” H-neun says. Akira is mumbling something and H-neun smiles up at the camera she’d be watching through. “Don’t worry about it, Akira. Just something to think about next time. We learn by making mistakes.”

 “R-right...”

 “Alright, keep going. You engaged recklessly. Then what?”

 “Because our heat levels were too high, when the big cannon hit, Yamada overheated,” Inuzuka says. 

 “That A-drei guy saw through our plan and got you to blow up the cave before we could get everyone in place,” Tokishima says.

 “We couldn’t have seen that coming though,” Yamada groans.

 “Rukino Saki did a good job though,” H-neun says. “She let L-elf know of the situation and because of that the plan wasn’t completely ruined. Many of the ground forces were destroyed in the blast.”

 “Because of that, Unit I was trapped,” Tokishima says. “With L-elf and Marie, and I wasn’t able to reach it. Saki was caught in the blast and her situation is unknown-”

 “She was retrieved with A-drei,” H-neun says. “I did tell L-elf this I’m not sure why he hasn’t told you. They were recovered with only minor injuries and A-drei has kept her close with him ever since.” There’s a murmur through the students and H-neun frowns, realising half of them don’t know Rukino was a Karlstein child at the time. “One would imagine as a potential hostage in case of confrontation, perhaps. Carry on though.”

 “Because of that, we didn’t have the backup of Carmilla either.” 

 “By the time Marie piloted Unit I, there were too many Dorssian forces,” Inuzuka says with a sigh. “And because of the state we were in, we couldn’t help her either.”

 “So, it was all my fault,” Tokishima whispers. 

 

 H-neun sighs, scrunching up a piece of paper and tossing it across the room to bounce off Tokishima’s head. Tokishima jerks up and stares up at him.

 “Cool it, kid,” he laughs. “It’s not your fault. It’s no one’s fault.”

 “But-”

 “If you want to hand out blame, it’s Marie’s fault,” he says. “Her own recklessness killed her. Heroics are all very well and good, but they get people killed in battle.” 

 “Don’t talk about Marie like that,” he snaps. “I’d much rather think-”

 “Then you won’t learn,” he says. “Not everything is your fault and you can’t fix everything. There are lot of variables and you can’t always predict everything. You try and take all that on yourself and you’re going to break. A soldier’s first duty is to come home alive, remember that.” 

 “You’re really calm about all this stuff,” one of the others says.

 “Because I’ve been trained for it since I was kid.”

 “What was Dorssian training like?”

 “Yeah, they said there was this village of kids, right?”

 “And L-elf said once you were still technically students.”

 H-neun laughs and waves a hand. “That’s not important.”

 There’s suddenly a clammer for him to start telling them his own story and really H-neun doesn’t want to tell his life story. Highschool children, though, are a terrifying force. H-neun said from the start they had no clue how how to handle school kids. They have no experience here.

 “R-really, it’s not really anything to do with-”

 “If you’re supposed to be teaching us, shouldn’t you tell us how you learnt?” Yamada sneers.

 “Well, perhaps, but-”

 “Yeah, how are we supposed to trust you if you won’t open up to us?” Inuzuka laughs.

 “Ah, well, emotional connection really isn’t necessary for military trust-”

 “It is around here,” Tokishima says. “We’re all friends, even L-elf.”

 “Now that I don’t believe.” 

 “What about the first time you piloted?”

 “Have you ever crashed?”

 “Were you scared?”

 “What was that training village like?”

 “What was growing up in Dorssia like?”

 

 H-neun groans, waving his hands. “Enough, enough! I was ten the first time I piloted, it was basic Karlstein training. I’ve crashed lots, everyone has. I’ve been scared lots, it’s war, but I was always excited to pilot, I’ve wanted to do it since I was young. Karlstein was terrifying and amazing all at once, it made us what we are. I grew up in the country, I dunno much of what it was like in the cities, but Karlstein taught us loyalty to Dorssia was the most important thing, all Dorssians should be loyal above all else.”

 “But you’re here?” one of them says.

 “I’d never stop being loyal to Dorssia,” he says. “Colonel Cain betrayed the Dorssian people.”

 “Wouldn’t you betray those loyalties for that guy anyway?” Yamada says, glaring out the window. H-neun frowns a little. There’s a light colour over his cheeks. “You’d throw it all away for him, right? Even your own life.”

 H-neun sighs, closing his eyes and rubbing his temple. “He’s my entire reason for living. If I didn’t have him, I wouldn’t be able to go on. He’s the only thing that keeps me going.”

 “You love him,” he mutters.

 “Don’t throw that word around like it’s nothing,” H-neun says, tilting his head away. “Love’s not something to joke around with.”

 “Who’s joking? I’ve felt it, remember?” 

 H-neun opens his eyes slightly. The kids who don’t know about the Magius are staring at Yamada. Idiot did have to run his mouth, didn’t he? He might have to dig into just what happened while Yamada had control of his body. 

 And then the penny seems to drop and the kids who weren’t on the surface with them are suddenly pulling chairs around the desk.  _ Oh great. _ H-neun feels another wave of questions about his love life coming on. There’s suddenly a lot of other kids hurrying in, pulling up chairs and on their phones. Including Sashinami. She sits on one of the front row desks, smiling up at him. Yamada is glaring out the window and Inuzuka and Tokishima are laughing awkwardly together.

 “Umm, can I help you new guys?” H-neun says after a moment. 

 “Your partner’s your boyfriend?” one girl says. 

 H-neun sighs. “Yes. Yes, I’m in a relationship with my partner. And yes, same sex relationships are legal and allowed in Dorssia, before you start asking stupid questions.” 

 The kids murmur among themselves. Apparently the idea that Dorssia is in the dark ages is pretty widespread. There’s probably a lot of ridiculous rumours he needs to put straight. No matter what the situation at the top and in the military and with these Magius, H-neun does love his country. Most the citizens, even the soldiers, are innocent of everything but following orders. They just want to protect their home too. And Cain and those bastards are harvesting them for food?!

 

 So, in the end, H-neun ends up abandoning any kind of piloting and combat lessons, instead holding an impromptu lesson on Dorssia itself. It only takes about half an hour before more students join, a lot from the cabinet, and he’s got a pretty full classroom of those eager to learn about Dorssia and the enemy they’re facing. H-neun isn’t sure why L-elf hasn’t done this sort of thing with them before. As military elites, they’d been raised knowing exactly what was going on in other countries. They were raised to be completely multilingual, knowing the traditions and cultures and manners. They had to know their enemy and had to know how to blend in anywhere. 

 “Tokishima,” H-neun calls as they’re all filing out. He pauses and joins him at the desk. “What did you guys decide to do with it in the end?”

 “It’s in one of the locked hangars,” Tokishima replies. H-neun sighs. Of course. “They’re your people, if you want to see the situation.”

 “Yeah, in a bit,” he says with a slight nod. “Might as well, since it’s here.”

 “H-neun,” Sashinami says, suddenly in front of him, leaning way too close. He smiles a little, leaning back away from her. She does seem to do everything with enthusiasm. “You’ll help advise us on how to deal with Dorssia until L-elf figures himself out, won’t you?”

 “Ah, I do keep telling you guys I’m not much for politics,” H-neun laughs. “That’s really more X’s area that mine.”

 “But you’re the one here,” she insists, grabbing his hands again. Usually, H-neun wouldn’t object to a beautiful young lady wanting to hold his hands, but at this point he’s missing X-eins a little too much to think about flirting. “Any information is better than none, right? You’ve already been such a big help, we can already see an improvement in our pilots just from the basics in simulations. We’re so glad to have you here.” 

 “Thanks,” he says.

 “Please. You’ll help us, won’t you?”

 “A-as much as I can. Yeah.”

 Sashinami beams and nods, running off again. H-neun smiles tiredly, watching her do. Sweet kid, if slightly nutty. Reminds him of Q-vier actually. Always eager to get off and get going. Always eager to find something else to do. 

 

 It’s late afternoon when Tokishima takes him to a hangar locked up to house the Phantom. It’s huge. H-neun’s fingers brush the symbol on the side. There are loads of them out there, collecting humans for the Magius to feed on. They head inside and H-neun frowns. It all seems automated. Then how would the Phantom get more victims? One would assume it was heading to Module 77 to collect the students as food. The ship couldn’t do it itself, could it?

 “What’s wrong?” 

 “There’s something very wrong with this,” H-neun says. 

 “What is it?” Tokishima says. 

 “We should dump this is space and blow it to pieces,” he hisses. “It’s not safe.”

 “But the people inside-”

 “Are as good as dead anyway,” he snaps. Tokishima frowns at him. “This thing is dangerous.”

 “You think so?”

 “Think about it logically. It was brought here to use the module as a new food source,” H-neun explains, sealing the Phantom once more. “And you’ve brought it here.”

 “It’s safe,” Tokishima argues. “It’s locked up in here and there was no one on board.”

 “Exactly,” he says. Tokishima’s frown deepens. “Was there ever anyone on it?” He shakes his head a little. “Then, how was it ever going to collect its victims?”

 “How… I…” He bites his lip, obviously coming to the same rather uncomfortable solution as H-neun. There’s something far more sinister at work here. “I think we should lock it up and I’ll talk to the others.”

 

 As they’re heading out once more, an alarm goes off. H-neun sighs. Now what? Tokishima goes running off and H-neun follows at a more casual pace down towards the command centre. He’ll let the kids work it out themselves. He doesn’t want to interfere unless necessary. Partly, curiosity about how well L-elf has trained them, and partly because he really has no intention of getting too involved with the module until he has a better idea just what they’re going to do. What their odds of defeating Cain are. 

 “What’s going on?”

 “H-neun,” Sashinami calls, gesturing to a seat next to her. “Can you help with the defences?” 

 “Sure, sure,” he says, sitting beside her. He glances over the control screen, quickly figuring it out and getting up the debris defences. He might as well. Even if he’s not getting involved, defences aren’t really a big deal. “What’s happening though?”

 “There’s an transport coming in,” Satomi says. The screens flash up with the pilots in their cockpits. “It’s not scheduled and it’s not responding to any attempts to contact it.”

 “Could be hostile?” 

 “What should we do?” 

 The kids are debating among themselves as the transport on screen comes closer. H-neun frowns. It’s Dorssian. It’s a pretty standard, non-descript transport but H-neun can recognise it as Dorssian. He’s sure L-elf would too if he was here. What’s a Dorssian transport doing coming in though?

 “We should at least go out and see what they want?” Tokishima says. 

 “Blow them to pieces if they don’t respond,” Yamada growls. 

 “H-neun?” Inuzuka says.

 “Don’t rely on me,” H-neun says, watching the radars. The Dorssian fleets hovering just beyond the moon’s territory. They think nothing of a transport heading in. They can’t openly attack a civilian vessel, after all. Let alone one of their own. “I’ve told you already I’m not going to hold your hand and give you orders like L-elf. I’ve got no interest in command.”

 “You’ll advise us though?” Sashinami says.

 “If you have a plan.” 

 “We’re heading out,” Tokishima calls. 

 

 The Valvraves launch and H-neun waits, watching the screens curiously. Of course, every instinct he has says to blow it up. Unidentified transports entering their territory are to be shot down, if not destroyed. There’s an argument for just letting it land and then seeing what’s inside with armed guards but there’s always a consideration for explosives. It would be an easy way to damage the module and possible kill quite a few people. 

 “Unidentified transport, please respond.” There’s silence as the Valvraves close in. “Unidentified transport, please respond.”

 “What kind of welcome is this?” comes a voice over the comms.

 “Saki?” Tokishima calls. 

 “It’s not easy to get a radio working when all the labels are in Dorssian, you know?” Rukino Saki calls. “Such a rude welcome when I’ve brought you a gift.”

 “Ah, does that mean that other Dorssian is with you?” Yamada mutters.

 “Oh? You mean the pretty one with the soft face and sharp eyes?” she giggles. H-neun clicks his tongue, biting back an argument. “I made sure to pick him up, yes. He’s rather grumpy, though. I don’t think he’s very grateful. And he didn’t even pay attention when I was flirting with him. He was just polite.” 

 “You really are shameless, Rukino,” Takahi sighs. 

 “We’ll escort you in, Saki,” Tokishima says with a small smile. “There’s a news crew here I’m sure you’ll want to talk to.” 

 “Of course,” Rukino laughs. “But presents first. I’ve got a secret weapon for the engineers to enjoy.”

 H-neun’s curiosity won’t let him ignore the promise of a secret weapon. That and X-eins’ return, of course. They keep the camera crew out, H-neun still doesn’t want to be talked to and doesn’t really want to be filmed, and sit on the rails to wait as the transport is brought in and the Valvrave’s move away.

 

 Finally, when the hangar is pressurised again, they can float out onto the walkway and watch the transport. Rukino Saki floats out from the transport, in an obviously stolen Dorssian uniform, and flicks out her hair. There’s no sign of X-eins though. H-neun is get anxious. 

 “That was terrible welcome, Shoko,” Rukino snaps. “Especially for a hero like me, returning after being captured and bringing home such lovely gifts. I should send them back.”

 “What gifts?” Satomi snaps. 

 “Where’s X-eins?” H-neun snaps. 

 Rukino’s gaze falls on him and she beams, pushing off and flying over, wrapping her arms around his shoulders and spinning. H-neun grabs a rail to keep control and Rukino gazes up at him, her grin almost predatory. He’s not been smiled at like that by many girls. 

 “Ahhh, so it’s you?” she says, putting her hands against his chest. “I’ve seen you around. Who wouldn’t notice such a handsome man?”

 “I’m flattered but-”

 “You should be, I’m an idol, you know,” she says, pressing her fingers to his lips. “But, being an idol it would be utterly impossible for me to ever date. Idols must remain single, you know.”

 “Where’s X?” H-neun says. 

 “Glaring at Carmilla, I’d imagine,” Rukino sighs, glaring up at him. “Really? You’re more interested in him than me? What is with you Dorssians? Aren’t you men?” 

 “Saki, don’t bully them,” Tokishima laughs, floating over with the other pilots.

 

 The transport rumbles and the side panel opens slowly. H-neun glances over and the engineers are watching eagerly for the results. Whatever gift has been brought back for them. H-neun’s jaw drops. The pilots are staring. The engineers have gone pale.

 “Those- those are-”

 “My Kirschbaum!” H-neun laughs.

 He shoves Rukino off and pushes away to press his hands to his Kirschbaum, running his hands over the painwork. The engineers are hurrying after him, looking over the machines with interest. There’s a scuff on one shoulder and the paintwork has been scratched. There’s a dent to one of the back fins, but other than that it’s in great shape. 

 “I’m glad you have your priorities straight, as ever, Hano.” 

 H-neun grins, pushing off once more and floating over to where X-eins is sitting on the shoulder of his own Kirschbaum. X-eins smirks, grasping his hand and pulling him down so they can sit together, pulling H-neun in and pressing their lips together. He wraps his arms around him quickly, leaning into his body without hesitation. He’d missed X-eins far too much. He wanted to be as close as possible for a long as possible. 

 “Well, that explains that, at least,” Rukino sighs. “I’m marginally less insulted now.”

 “I missed you so much,” H-neun whispers between kisses. “You got captured?” 

 “It’s alright,” X-eins replies, running his hands through his hair. “A-drei looked after me. He knows about us now. About us and Cain and our history. So does Kriemhild.” 

 Sashinami clears her through and they glance down. She’s smiling up at them. “Welcome to Module 77, X-eins. I’m Prime Minister Sashinami Shoko. It’s lovely to finally meet you. And have another willing ally to help us improve our country.” 

 “I’m glad to be here,” he says as they head back to the walkway. H-neun smiles, leaning into the back of X-ein’s shoulder, arms wrapped lightly around his middle. X-eins lays his hands gently over his. “I am grateful to have a place where H-neun and I can be safe. Our home has been torn from us, if our only choice is build a new home, so be it.”

 “It’s good that you’re willing to help,” she laughs. “Hano’s already been really helpful with our pilots. We’ve seen huge improvements already.” 

 “He’s always been the best pilot,” X-eins says, nodding slightly. “And you’re being very clingy.”

 “I missed you,” H-neun mumbles. “And I was worried. And I hate kids.”

 “We’re only a year younger than you,” Yamada snaps. 

 H-neun glares up from X-eins’ shoulder and X-eins pushes up his glasses. Yamada is blushing again, glaring away. He does have some unsettled issues with X-eins still, doesn’t he? Still, after a moment, X-eins’ smile softens and he squeezes H-neun’s hands. 

 “It’s nice to see you all again,” he says. “Even you, Yamada Raizo.”

 “Y-yeah.”

 “Don’t be so shy, our discussions have been rather interesting, haven’t they? Perhaps we should talk again, sometime.” It’s rather amusing to see Yamada go redder and redder with every word. “You never did give me a proper answer after all.” Yamada stutters helplessly under the gaze of his friends and X-eins tilts his head. “However it’s been a rather tiring few days and I’m not at my best. I’d really rather have some time to sleep and recover before getting into any strenuous work.” 

 “Ah, Hano can show you to your room,” Sashinami says with a bright smile. H-neun frowns. They’re all being way too casual about calling him Hano since Tokishima had done so in the simulator. “You two are sharing.” 

 “Thank you for the consideration,” X-eins says with a slight nod. “Hano?”

 H-neun nods, leading the way out as Yamada laughs. “Love huh?”

 “Love isn’t strong enough,” H-neun mumbles.

 “Hmm?” X-eins tilts his head, smiling back at him. “Hano?”

 “Nothing.”

 

 He leads the way into the school grounds again, through to the dormitories to find their room. He’s glad to have a private room at last. One they can lock and hide away in. The kids had even given him phones for him and X-eins. Their wardrobe is stocked with clothes H-neun had picked out - the girls in particular had been glad to take him shopping the first evening and have him try on nearly everything in every shop - and all in all their little double is already starting to look rather homely. He wouldn’t mind living here, he thinks. X-eins glances around as H-neun locks the door. 

 “What do you think?” H-neun says quietly. 

 “It’s nice,” X-eins says. “I certainly think this could be home one day. In time.” 

 “I thought so,” he laughs, sitting on the bottom bunk. “You still want the bottom bed?” 

 “You remember?”

 “Don’t you?”

 “Of course,” X-eins laughs. “You always have the top bunk. Takes us back, don’t you think? We haven’t had a double room in so long.” He smiles and pushes H-neun gently onto his back, leaning over him. “Although, I think I’d rather we just shared.”

 “Ah, well,” H-neun laughs, wrapping his arms are his shoulders. “I wouldn’t complain. It is my job to keep you safe. I can do that best if I keep you close.”

 “Then please do. Keep me as close as you can. You did miss me terribly, after all.”

 “I did.”

 “Then perhaps we should get thoroughly re-acquainted, before I discuss the situation.”

 “I’d like that.”


	23. Lost Innocence

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Back to X-eins again with a huuuuuge flashback

 He wakes in a complete daze. He’s not sure what’s happening. Or what happened. He groans and shifts weakly. There’s a hand moving slowly through his hair. Soft and gentle and reassuring. He can hear chatting away, a familiar voice that warms his chest. 

 Someone calls his name. A name he can’t register. Can’t remember. But it’s his. He opens his eyes slowly. Bright green eyes are staring back at him. A name tumbles from his lips in return. Another name he can’t actually register. But it makes his friend’s grin widen further.

 “You’re awake,” he laughs.

 “I am,” he replies, sitting up slowly. Larger hands catch his to keep him stable and he lifts his head. “Umm…”

 “Cain said we should let you sleep,” his friend says, putting his hands on top of his. “He said you might be in shock. I got chocolate.”

 “That’s not fair.”

 “I saved you some.”

 Of course. He was always insisting on sharing. He’d always been determined them they were going to be friends. His friend fishes a folded wrapped from his pocket, holding it out to him. Cain watches with a small smile as he tucks in. He breaks off a piece and holds it out to his friend. Even if he’d already had some and had saved this for him, he wouldn’t feel right not sharing. 

 

 “We’re going to Dorssiana, however it will take a while to get there, we’ve got a lot of stops to make,” Cain says. He lifts his head and Cain smiles down at them. It’s only now he realises they’re moving. They’re in a transport. “You two have become wards of the state, given your situation.”

 “We’re orphans,” he whispers, that fact only just really sinking in. He frowns and turns to his friend. “Don’t your parents live in Dorssiana?”

 His friend grins and nods. “You could definitely come live with me.”

 “I’m afraid not, boys,” Cain says. They glance up at him and he smiles back, petting both their heads. “We can’t get in contact with you parents and until then, you will belong to the state as well. Both of you.”

 “So… so we’re going to end up in an orphanage?!” 

 “It’ll be ok,” his friend says, putting his arms around his shoulders. “It’ll always be ok as long as we’re together.”

 “Y-yeah,” he says, nodding slightly. Although there are already tears in his eyes. “We’ll be ok together.”

 “Ah, don’t cry!” He wraps his arms around him and suddenly he’s lying against his friend’s shoulder, clinging onto him, trying not to start sobbing. “It’s gonna be ok, I promise. I won’t let anything happen.” 

 “Oh?” Cain says. “You intend to protect him until the very end, do you?”

 “I won’t ever let anything happen to him!” He stares up at his friend through tears. Sunny green eyes suddenly blaze with fire and threat. Determination and anger. He squeezes his hand against his friend’s arm and he glances down, calming slightly, smiling a little. “You’re my best friend. I won’t lose you too.”

 Cain chuckles and picks up his pistol. Before he can really think, he friend has pushed him back behind him and is facing down the gun without fear. His fists close around his friend’s sweater, staring back at Cain.

 “How can you protect him if you’re dead, child?” 

 “How could I live if I’d failed to protect him?” 

 Cain smiles, tipping his friend’s chin with the pistol. “They really did instill a wonderful sense of loyalty in you, didn’t they? Too bad they’re probably dead already.”

 “Don’t talk about them.”

 “What’s he talking about?” he whispers into his friend’s shoulder. 

 “Well, if they’re not dead, why would they allow such devastation when they knew what would happen to you?” Cain says, leaning a little closer. He’s utterly amazed that friend just glares back. It’s the same fearlessness he’d seen in his friend’s eyes when he picked up his grandfather’s gun. “Either they’re already dead, or they don’t care?”

 “Don’t talk about them!”

 “But look at you,” he says. “So brave. Was it you who ran into danger without a second thought? He doesn’t seem like the type but you, you’re a soldier in training already, aren’t you? Don’t worry, a boy like you will be shipped off to military training without delay.” 

 Military training? His trembling fingers clench against his friend’s back, tears spilling over. They’re going to seperate them. He doesn’t want to leave him. He doesn’t want to be alone. They’ll dump him in an orphanage and they’ll never see each other again. Cain had said the had to be strong enough to protect each other. So they don’t need someone to watch their back. They have to be strong enough to protect their friend and themselves. He’s not brave like his friend. He’s not fiery and energetic and fearless. He doesn’t know how to protect him, but he doesn’t want to leave him. He has to do something or they’ll be torn apart!

 “I wonder what else they taught you.” 

 “There’s a knife up his sleeve,” he whispers into his friend’s shoulder. “We need to get out of here before they seperate us.”

 

 His friend nods once and sets his jaw. He doesn’t want to think about what Cain is implying; how comfortable his friend had been showing him how to use a pistol properly, how he moved like he knew how soldiers moved, the idea that someone had already started training him as a soldier. And he doesn’t want to think about how calm and steady his friend is now. 

 He moves like it’s something he’s done a hundred times; he knocks the hand holding the pistol aside with one hand and catches the hidden knife with the other, moving the blade up to Cain’s throat. Grateful as they are for being saved, they’re not going to be seperated.

 “Impressive,” Cain says quietly. 

 “We’re going,” his friend says as he grabs the fallen pistol. “Thank you for your help but we’re going now.”

 “I’m afraid I can’t allow that,” he says. 

 “We weren’t asking permission.” 

 Cain smiles almost fondly, and next thing he knows his friend has been thrown over onto his back on the bed, pinned beneath Cain with the knife twisted to press against his own throat. He squirms desperately beneath the man’s weight but it does no good. And all he can do is cry his best friend’s name, fingers trembling around the stolen pistol. Cain calls to him suddenly and his head jerks up. 

 “Are you going to use that?” Cain says. 

 He stares down at his friend’s face for a moment before lifting the pistol, trying to stop himself shaking. “Let him go.”

 “And if I say no?” he says.

 “I’ll shoot you,” he snaps. 

 “Go on then.”

 He stares down at Cain. His hands shake. He’s never killed before. He doesn’t know how. It was all very well them saying they could have revenge on the people who stole their families but when it came to it… He doesn’t know if he can kill.

 “Shame,” Cain murmurs. His friend screams as the knife is twisted from his hand and raised above him. No. No! He’s going to kill him! “And I had such high hopes for you.”

 “No!” 

 He pulls there tigger and with a jolt and the bang is horrible and he’s sobbing helplessly. There’s a clang of metal and he’s jerked aside. Cain’s knife has blocked the gun and they’re both uselessly pinned and crying their eyes out now. 

 “Alright now,” Cain says, pulling him around by his collar and pushing him to the bed next to his friend. “That’s enough of that. Both of you calm down.”

 His friend pulls him into his arms, letting him cry into his chest once more. He doesn’t want to die and he doesn’t want to be separated from his friend. He clings to his shirt, struggling to breathe through the sobs.

 “Come on now, you two,” Cain sighs. He tucks the duvet around them and the pair cuddle together tighter. “Honestly, I was never going to actually hurt either of you. Try to rest. We’ll be arriving at our next stop early tomorrow morning. I’ll be back later. Try to calm down and get some sleep. And don’t hesitate next time. Pull that trigger without hesitation.”

 The door closes and the pair of them cling to each other, fingers lacing together and foreheads pressed up against each others’. Cain saved them but he’s terrifying. This entire place is terrifying. They’re going to give his friend to the military and he’s going to be dumped in an orphanage or a labour camp. 

 “Please don’t leave me,” he sobs. His friend’s grip on his hands tightens and his snuffles. “I want to be with you forever.” 

 “Don’t be afraid,” his friend replies. “I won’t ever let anyone upset you. I won’t let anyone take you away.”

 

 Travel is hard. Despite their admiration of Cain, he is terrifying. He keeps them locked in their room constantly. When he comes to see them, he brings them new clothes, food, entertainment, as if they’re not locked up and awaiting sentence. That’s what it is, after all. He’s keeping them prisoner until they’re forced apart and forced into a life they never wanted, all because their lives were ruined by the royalists. Sometimes they’re involved in fire fights. They can feel the transport being hit and end up curled up in the duvet, hiding under the bed and clinging to each other. Cain always comes to see them after that. To make sure they’re not injured after the battle. He’s testing them too, he thinks. He sits with them in the evening, putting books in front of them and working through with them. He teaches them the basics of combat. He wonders why it’s both of them if it’s just his friend who’s supposed to be joining the military.

 “Boys,” Cain calls, one afternoon after a battle. 

 He holds out his hands to them. They hesitate but it’s a chance to get out and they let him lead them out into the ship. The corridors are twisting and winding and he has no idea how they’d have ever escaped. They could have gone around it circles for hours. They step out into the sunlight and his hand goes up to shade his eyes. 

 “Sir,” the soldiers call. There are prisoners lined up. “All prisoners willing to cooperate have been processed.” 

 “Everyone left is a traitor then,” Cain says, squeezing their hands. “Here’s a lesson to learn well, boys. All traitors are to be put to death. Without mercy. Without hesitation. Like those royalists who attacked you home. Like these royalists.” 

 “Death to traitors,” his friend whispers. 

 “Good boy,” he chuckles. 

 “Death to traitors,” he echoes, although he thinks its a little hollow compared to his friend’s. 

 “I’m glad you boys understand.” Cain turns to the troops. “Two pistols. Fully loaded.”

 Someone comes over, holding two pistols for Cain. He takes his hands from theirs and takes the weapons, holding on out to each of them. He stares back at Cain, who smiles at them. They from and glance at each other. 

 “Come now, boys,” Cain says. “Death to traitors, remember? Or, are you sympathising with traitors?”

 “They killed our families,” his friend snaps. 

 “And yet you won’t hand out justice?” He sighs and lifts the pistols to their heads. “You two really aren’t living up to my high standards. I expected you to be better than this.I thought you were special. How disappointing for your young lives to end here.” 

 His friend grabs his the pistol from Cain and he follows his lead. The pistol is heavy in his hand but his friend seems as comfortable as before. He ends up following helplessly behind his friend as he strides towards the prisoners.

 “Sir,” one of the soldier’s hisses. 

 “There are Karlstein trainees doing this much,” Cain says. 

 “But they’re not-”

 “Let’s see what they can do.”

 “But-”

 

 A gunshot cuts off whatever the soldier’s argument is. The prisoner falls to the floor and he stares at his friend’s back. His fingers tremble against his pistol as his friend moves onto the next one. He’s really not even flinching at killing these prisoners. Another shot echoes around the canyon and another body cumples. Then another and another until his friend pulls the trigger and there’s nothing. He glares down at his pistol.

 “Well?” Cain says. “He’s done half the work. You should finish off, shouldn’t you?”

 His friend’s jaw tenses and his fists clench. He turns slightly, grabbing a knife from one of the other soldiers before they can stop him. Suddenly there’s blood everywhere and another body hits the floor. His friend slices through the prisoners’ throats. It’s messy and tough and obviously he has no experience but soon it’s over, every prisoner has been executed and his dear friend is soaked in blood. The soldiers are whispering among themselves. Cain is clapping, chuckling softly.

 “What did I tell you?” he says. “Special, isn’t he?” Cain’s hands fall on his shoulders and he stiffens, still staring helplessly at his friend’s bloody hair. “Now, why on earth are you letting him shoulder this burden for you?”

 “I- I-”

 “That’s what he’s doing, isn’t it?” he whispers in his ear. “Don’t you know? He’s taking all the burden for you. To protect you. So you won’t have to suffer. So you won’t get upset. So you won’t have to stain yourself in sin.” 

 “But…” 

 He tries to take a step forward but his feet are rooted to the spot. Even the soldiers are staying a distance away. To think he was hiding something like this for so long. That he’s capable of this. He’s seen his friend do so much he’d not thought him capable of. 

 “Are you afraid of him now?” Cain murmurs. “Your friend has taken on the burden of murder for you, to protect you from this pain, and you’re afraid of him. I doubt he cares though. I don’t he’d care if you hated him, as long as he protected you from pain.”

 “But…”

 “You’re going to let him shoulder that burden for you?” He can’t say anything. He can’t respond. He can’t do anything but stare. Cain calls softly to his friend and he turns. He takes a step back against Cain without even meaning to. The flash of pain in his eyes is awful but he doesn’t know how to make it better. Cain just pets his hair as he addresses his friend. “Are you alright, dear boy?”

 “Death to traitors,” he whispers hoarsely.

 “Good boy,” Cain says. 

 

 The weapons are taken from them and Cain holds out a hand to his friend. They’re escorted back into ship and he keeps his head down, struggling to make sense of the situation in front of him. His best friend is soaked in blood. He just taken so many lives. Is he even the boy he thought he knew? His friend is shoved into the showers under guard to clean off while Cain pulls him away.

 “I thought this would happen,” Cain explains. “So, you have to make a choice. Do you want to remain with him or not?” 

 “I don’t understand,” he whispers.

 “You’ve seen what he’s capable of now,” he says, leading him along. “The strength of his feelings for you, what he is willing to do for you. He will be remaining with me. What about you?”

 “I…” He frowns and lowers his head a little. He’d wanted to be with him. He’d wanted to stay with his best friend forever. He never wanted to leave him. But now he’s starting to doubt himself. “I’m not…”

 “If you don’t have the will to fight for him, then you won’t survive,” he says. “You have some talent it would be a shame to see it go to waste, but it seems you don’t have the strength and attitude needed to take on higher level training like him. I’ll arrange for you to be enrolled in a lower grade military academy. You can be trained for domestic service.”

 “What about him?” 

 “That’s not much of your business anymore,” he replies. “But, I will be training him to an elite level. He already got a very good base, and like you, has a lot of talent, but he also has the willingness to kill. He can be molded into a fine elite agent. I will bring him up to the right level to be put into an elite military school and excel and from there it’s likely he’ll be passed into the most prestigious training facility we have.”

 “He’ll be an elite?” he whispers. “He’ll be trained to kill like that.”

 “Better than that,” Cain says, shaking his head. “That was terribly messy and inefficient.” 

 “He’ll become a monster.”

 “No, he’ll become an incredible soldier I will have been proud to raise. When he’s admitted to that facility, the boy he is now will be killed.”

 He frowns up at Cain. “I don’t understand.”

 “When you go into that place, you civilian life ends. He will be registered as dead. His family will have no hold over him if they are alive. He will discard everything he knew before his entrance ceremony, he will be given a new name, and will be trained into a perfect Dorssian soldier, loyal only to the military. The facility is still rather new, but so far it’s shown incredibly positive results. I believe he’ll be a wonderful candidate.” 

 “But- but he won’t be him.”

 “No. He will be whoever we make him. Even if you ever have the privilege of meeting him again, he will not be the boy you know now and is unlikely to see you as his friend. Even if he’s done all this for you but we’ll take care of that. He just needs the right training. If he can’t keep up, he’ll be put down.”

 Put down. He’ll be put down if he can’t keep up. He clings tighter to Cain. “I don’t want him to die.” 

 “That’s just a matter of whether he can keep up or not.”

 “He’s done all this for me,” he whimpers. “He killed those people so I wouldn’t have to.” 

 “That’s right.” He stops in front of a cell and Cain hands him his pistol. There’s a prisoner in the cell. “If you want to remain by his side, all you need to do is take one life. Prove you have the strength to kill.”

 His hands are trembling as he raises the pistol. He won’t let his best friend suffer alone. He won’t lose him too. He won’t let him go!

 

 When he’s finally reunited with his best friend, he’s sitting on the bed silently, looking more awkward than he’s ever seen him. None of this is right. Those sunny green eyes haven’t been sunny since they lost their families. It’s not right.

 The door closes and his friend sniffles. “I’m sorry.”

 “N-no,” he says, shaking his head. “No, don’t be. You did all that to protect me.”

 “You must think I’m a monster,” his friend whimpers. 

 “No!” He shakes his head quickly, hurrying over and wrapping his arms around his friend’s shoulders tightly. “You’re not a monster. You- you’re like-” 

 He huffs and pushes up his glasses, searching desperately for work. He doesn’t know. He doesn’t know what to say or do or- Why can’t he find the write words?! His shaking hands close around his collar. 

 “You’re my guardian angel!”

 He throws his arms around him, holding him desperately close, sobbing into his shoulder completely unable to stop. He could never see him as a monster. He could never imagine him as a monster. He wants to be with him forever. Nothing is ever going to stop them. Nothing is ever going to come between them. Nothing can stop them as long as they’re together.

 “Please, don’t leave me,” he begs desperately. “Don’t leave me behind. I’ll do anything to stay with you. Please, please let me share the burden with you. It might take time but I’ll do my best. I’ll be strong. I’ll stay with you. No matter what it takes.”

 “I’m not going anywhere,” his friend replies firmly. His arms wrap around him gently in return and he snuggles into his hold, slowly regaining control. “I promise, I’m not going anywhere. You’re my entire world.”

 His hands tangle deep in his friend’s hair. “I love you. I love you more than anything.”

 

 X-eins opens his eyes slowly. Such vivid memories of such a scary time. Looking back, he’d grown into someone so much strong because of it. Even in the few months they’d been with Cain after that, they’d both grown fond of him. Grown to love him as he grew to love them too. No matter how cruel he’d been, it’d become obvious he was testing them and training them.

 And it was cruel. No matter how kind he was at times, he was cruel when teaching them. He left the threat of an orphanage hanging over them for so long before he told them he’d taken them on as their legal guardian. Not until the coup had settled and Cain had settled for a while in a small city, when he finally took their hands and told them they were coming home with him until their official enrollment in military academy. He’d all but adopted them. It was only until they were accepted into Karlstein, of course. The moment they were accepted, those boys were dead, after all. Not that it was a problem, given Cain already knew about Karlstein. 

 There’s a hand moving through his hair and he slowly tries to focus his vision. Cain. Cain is smiling down at him, running his hand through his hair slowly.

 “You’re awake,” Cain murmurs. X-eins nods a little. “How are you feeling?”

 “You tried to kill me,” X-eins groans. 

 “You know as well as I do, if I had any interest in actually killing you, you would be dead,” he replies. “It dealt with the royalists. A-drei was incredibly concerned about you, and I’m sure you’re aware that Kriemhild hesitated because it’s you and H-neun. She’s attached to the pair of you, although him in particular. I had hoped to keep her chasing her tail on your identities a while long, but I suppose her attachment to you two has some positive effects. I assume you had a reason for finally revealing yourselves?”

 X-eins nods, fingers brushing the blue earring. “Hano’s earrings are recording devices. I let her talk without leading her too much. I gave her enough rope to hang herself. She’s a nice woman and I respect her, but if I have to use it against her, if I have to make H-neun face up to what she’d really be willing to do to us, then I will.”

 “Hmm, are you sure that’s not just your feelings for H-neun getting in the way?”

 “I don’t deny that I dislike how much he likes her. Unlike a lot of his interests, he actually likes her. He cares about her more than I’d like. But if you think I’d be so petty as to make an enemy of Kriemhild just because he likes her, you must think little of me.” Cain smiles. “I don’t want to upset H-neun by telling him Kriemhild wants us dead anymore than I want to upset him by getting A-drei in trouble. But I will if I have to.”

 “As ruthless as ever,” Cain chuckles. “I am so proud of you and H-neun. I will be even more proud when you return home with L-elf.” X-eins wrinkles his nose. “I know, you two will go wherever you believe you’re safest. While you believe there’s hope L-elf can defeat me and keep Module 77 safe, you will hope remain there. You probably doubt I’ll keep my word and allow you to retire. Realistic and sensible and the perfect soldiers I always hoped to raise. Just as I’m sure the real Cain did too.”

 “Even if we’re not loyal?” X-eins mutters.

 “You’re loyal to each other. Incredibly so. And you are loyal to Dorssia. Even knowing the state of affairs, you still long to return.”

 “It’s our home,” X-eins says.

 “So it is,” Cain murmurs. 

 “I want to talk to Cain again,” he says. Cain sighs. “There are things I need to talk to him about. Things I can’t trust you to answer.”

 “Even if you’re not entirely sure it’s him or if I’m tricking you?” Cain says. X-eins narrows his eyes and Cain sighs. “With H-neun to share the burden, you could lose a lot of memories with the amount I have to drain on you. It could well drain you. You’re willing to accept that?”

 “You can use the same drug are your friend, right?” he hisses. “Increase Rune production so you can drink your fill and I won’t lose memories.”

 “If you’re willing to take that on.” X-eins nods and Cain sighs. “It would easier on everyone if you just accepted me as you always have, but alright.” 

 

 There’s a green light once more and when Cain opens his eye once more there’s a familiar confusion that makes him sure it’s the real Cain. He smiles weakly, pushing himself up and Cain frowns at him. 

 “X-eins?” 

 “Yes,” X-eins says quietly. 

 “How long has it been?” Cain says.

 “Not long,” he replies. “A fortnight, I imagine. To be quite honest, I’ve rather lost track of time in here.”

 “And you’ve been captured,” he murmurs, touching what’s obviously bruising on his throat. “Quit violently.” 

 “That was you. Kriemhild finally figured out H-neun and I are you precious boys. When she put a gun to my head, you put your hand around my throat and said you’d rather put me out of my misery yourself than let the royalists use me.” 

 “And why would she be allowed to live if she’s a royalist?” Cain says.

 “She’s useful. And she hesitated. She’s too attached to us. H-neun in particular.”

 “H-neun has a royalist girlfriend? I hope there’s a good reason for it.”

 X-eins smiles weakly. “She’s not his girlfriend. She puts him down quite firmly every time he tries. She says he’s a little boy.”

 “She’s older then?”

 “She’s our superior. And while I have more manners than to ask her age, she’s at least half a decade older.” Cain nods thoughtfully. “I’m not sure if she genuinely liked him and was putting up fronts, if she was playing him to lure him to their side or what the situation really is, but she does care about him enough that she didn’t like us being those boys. I never realised we had quite so much of a reputation.” 

 “You did,” Cain says. He smiles and X-eins blinks in surprise as he’s drawn in to rest against Cain’s shoulder. “You and H-neun were quite the fearsome pair. I don’t know how much of that time you remember, I’m sure you weren’t encouraged to think on it once you joined Karlstein, especially by that creature, but you were incredible little soldiers.”

 “H-neun more than me.” 

 “You learnt. H-neun’s parents gave him a strong base. They taught him to defend himself. But you were so incredibly strong to push yourself for him like that. And don’t think I didn’t notice you constantly telling him what to do. You’d hide behind his back and whisper into his shoulder. You pulled his strings, I saw you.”

 “You were so cruel to us,” X-eins sighs.

 “I raised you to be strong,” Cain says, running his fingers through his hair. “And, despite having only taken you on for your potential as soldiers, I did grow to love you both very much. I know you two adored me too.” 

 “We did. We do. That’s why I wanted to talk to you again. Just while I think things through. I need to calm down for a while. I intend to get out of here and back to H-neun tonight, after all.” 

 “Be careful with H-neun,” he says softly. X-eins frowns a little and Cain smiles. “I might not be here to look after you, but I want you two to be safe and happy. That’s why I’m a little concerned about the amount of time you’ll be spending together.”

 “I don’t understand,” X-eins says and Cain laughs softly. 

 “As always,” Cain says softly. “You know, sometimes, when people are in tricky situations with someone, they can begin to feels things they wouldn’t ordinarily.”

 “You mean like how by all reasonable standards, what H-neun and I grew to feel for you was similar to Stockholm Syndrome?” 

 Cain smiles and nods. “Yes. I don’t deny that what I did to you two when you were under my care, and what you all went through at Karlstein is akin to abuse. However, I’m talking about your feelings for H-neun.” 

 “My feelings for him?” 

 

 “Be wary,” Cain says firmly, tipping X-eins chin to force their gazes to meet. “You and H-neun were already incredibly close. In a situation like this, with the pressures like this, it’s possible you could be tricked into thinking there’s more than there is.” 

 “Cain?” 

 “I have seen many young soldiers in tough situation begin to think there is more between them and their partner than there is. It only ever leads to heartbreak, in my experience. Hanging onto your partner, the only thing keeping you alive, the biggest thing in your world, it’s easy to see more than there is. You and H-neun are already incredibly close. Closer than most partners. If you or he begin to feel there’s more to your relationship…”

 “Couldn’t there be?” X-eins says quietly.

 “Of course,” Cain says. “Of course there could be. You and he were always closer than anyone I’ve ever seen. Even what little I’ve seen of you are adults, you still cling onto those bond. However… I have seen that drive people to despair before. Thinking their relationship is something it isn’t under pressure and then realising when they’re safe again that actually there’s nothing there.” He smiles gently, running a hand through X-eins’ hair. “Be careful not to let your emotions get the better of you.”

 X-eins nods weakly. Cain can’t possibly know about his relationship with H-neun already, can he? He’ll have to think about that at least. It would be awful if that was all this was, wouldn’t it? He’d never wanted H-neun like this before, had he? Not really. Not to this level. And H-neun had never wanted a relationship with other men. Are they really just kidding themselves? 

 “X-eins?” 

 “I don’t want to doubt my feelings.” 

 “Then don’t. Just be aware of the possibilities.”

 

 “X?” A-drei calls quietly as the door opens. X-eins straightens up as the prince slips in, frowning slightly. “What’s going on?”

 “A-drei,” X-eins says, patting the bed for him. “You never met the real Cain, did you?”

 “The real…” A-drei frowns and sits on the bed. “It- it’s an honour to finally meet the real you, sir.”

 “A-drei?” Cain says, looking him over. “Another Karlstein boy?” A-drei nods. “You bare a striking resemblance to the royals.”

 A-drei nods and X-eins smiles reassuringly. “A-drei is a former prince.” 

 “I am loyal to my team above all else,” A-drei says as Cain scowls. “I was trained in Karlstein and will remain loyal to my friends until the end.” He glances up at X-eins. “Your Kirschbaum and the Valvrave are to be moved first thing tomorrow morning. You’ll be put on trial that afternoon. We can’t wait any longer.”

 “It really is tonight then,” X-eins says. 

 A-drei nods. “I’ll do whatever I can for you. And you tell L-elf he’d better have a damn good excuse for what he did or I will make good on my promise to have his eye in payment for my own.” 

 “I’ll make sure he’s fully aware.”


	24. Break Out

 The exhaustion from having the excess Runes drained isn’t nearly as bad this time. Partly, because he’s sure Cain didn’t take nearly as many Runes as his friend. Even so, heavy and tired or not, X-eins has got to escape tonight and has got to take Rukino Saki with him.

 A-drei provides his part of the plan. He does call he an for them even if it’s not much. X-eins didn’t need much. There aren’t cameras in the cells, no one wants proof of how their prisoners lost all human rights. It gives X-eins the perfect opportunity. He picks up the gun A-drei had left him and fires the blank. The gunshot, of course, gets the desires effect. X-eins slumps in his bed, as if dead, useless gun in hand, as the guard comes bursting in. He’s to be taken and put on trial alive, after all. If he’s got a gun and shot himself on his watch, there will be hell to pay. That, of course, is his mistake. The second he leans over to check X-eins for signs of life, he reaches up and snaps his neck, cleanly and efficiently and without a sound. 

 It does occur to X-eins how unnatural it is for someone his age to be so comfortable about a dead body. Although he has far more important things to consider, mentally debating the effects of his upbringing on his behaviour and the potential self he could have been while undoing the chain around his ankle keeps him steady. He switches clothes with the guard and pushing him into bed with the chain around his ankle, pulling up the covers. Should anyone glance it, it looks just like X-eins is still in bed sleeping. 

 

 With the deep breath, X-eins sweeps his hair back off his face and pulling on the guard’s cap. He settles his glasses in his inside pocket. One of his most recognisable features. He tugs the brim of his cap low, checks his weapons one final time and strides out. The only other guard on duty is a young woman standing outside Rukino Saki’s cell. She’s glaring at him as he locks the door and slides the viewing window into place. The other woman is still glaring.

 There’s silence for a while. X-eins watches the camera sweeping the area, picking out its blind spots and quietly timing the movement. Every now and again, the other guard sweeps the corridor and checks the viewing windows. Another pair guards come through the hall on patrol of the entire prison area, a round X-eins knows takes forty-five minutes. He keeps his head down, his cap low, and stays silent until the guards pass back and the camera moves.

 “Is there really some kind of monster in there?” he says quietly. The woman glares at him. “That’s what they say. JIOR created monsters and the traitors were selling them secrets.” She purses her lips. “It’d be really interesting to see it. Everyone says it’s a beautiful girl.”

 “She’s not that beautiful,” she huffs. 

 X-eins’ lips twitch into a small smile. “Is she not?”

 “Not at all,” she says. “I mean maybe if you like that JIORan sort of look.”

 “Really?” he says, stepping closer. Flirting is really not his strong point. Luckily, this woman is too busy seething over the idea that Rukino Saki might be pretty to really notice. “What kind of look is that?”

 “She’s got a child’s body,” she says, opening up the door. And making a very obvious show of her curves. “And this horrible pouty look. And she’s a monster.”

 “Is she? I’d be better settling for someone closer to home?”

 “Definitely. What about your traitor? Isn’t he Karlstein elite?” X-eins nods, watching the camera out the corner of his eye. “Isn’t he one of that Perfect Army lot? One of the handsome pair?”

 “Handsome pair?” he repeats. 

 “You don’t know? The older pair in the Perfect Army. Everyone knows about them, don’t they? The womanizer and Colonel Cain’s toy.” X-eins’ eyes narrow. He  _ hates _ people like her who talk about H-neun like that. Maybe he did get too attached to Cain, perhaps he got too involved. Perhaps he was an idiot! But H-neun wasn’t a womanizer and he  _ hates _ everyone who says so. “Everyone knows, right? Colonel Cain keeps that pretty boy as his pet, and every knows he’s hot for his best friend. He puts up with the colonel so he can keep his friend close in hopes of one day getting his hands on him.”

 X-eins clenches his jaw. That’s what people thought? Still?! If word ever came out about their relationship, would it just make it worse? Everyone would assume the worst. It would validate all these rumours and stories. 

 

 The woman steps towards Rukino Saki and X-eins steps forward. It only takes a moment before her body is lying crumpled on the ground. He opens up the disgustingly cruel sake Rukino Saki is stuck in and steps out into the hall, pulling the door closed again, just as the camera moves around to watch them again. 

 “Is that a body?!” Rukino cries. 

 “I need you to swap clothes with her,” X-eins replies. 

 “Oh, it’s you again,” she says. “I was starting to think you’d tricked me and were going to leave me here.”

 “I’m due to go on trial tomorrow,” he says. “I couldn’t wait any longer, unfortunately.”

 “So what do we do?”

 “Put on her clothes.”

 “This is so gross.”

 “You can move around the ship almost unnoticed if you wear a uniform.” Rukino is grumbling and complaining as she changes. “I’ll join you and deal with the body as soon as the camera moves on.”

 It doesn’t take too long. The camera’s slow rotation puts them in a blind spot once more. He opens the door and Rukino yelps, covering herself with the shirt, glaring up at him. X-enis sighs and turns his back.

 “Forgive me,” he mutters. 

 “You should knock,” she hisses. There’s a moment of silence only broken by the rustle of clothes. And then more silence. And then a thud. “Help me.”

 “I’m sorry?” X-eins says. 

 “Help me,” Rukino snaps. X-eins turns. She has the jacket on but it’s not settled right. “This uniform is ridiculous.” 

 X-eins sighs and steps forward. He picks unbuttons the jacket, redoing it with practiced ease. The uniforms certainly aren’t the simplest thing. There’s a specific way to do it. He fastens the belt clip and sets the pistol holder in place.

 “Do you know how to use that?” X-eins says.

 “Not amazingly well,” Rukino replies. “You don’t seem too bothered, getting up close and personal with an idol’s chest.”

 X-eins picks up the woman’s knife and tucks it up Rukino’s sleeve. “Use that first if you’re desperate. Aim for the throat.”

 “Right.” 

 He picks up the clasp from the body and pulls Rukino around, twisting her hair up into a bun and fastening it with the decorative clip. He puts the hat on her head and pulls the cap low. “Go stand guard outside while I deal with the body, pull the door to.”

 “Ok.” 

 

 She does as she’s told and he gets to work on the body, pulling on Rukino’s discarded prison clothes. He puts her on the bed, fastens the sack once more, and quickly heads out again, locking up the door and standing next to Rukino as the camera moves around again. Rukino glances up and he nods at the moving camera. She nods back and the pair wait in silence as the camera moves. It’s awkward but Rukino will at least put aside their differences to help escape. 

 As soon as the camera moves again, X-eins straightens up and Rukino glances up. They head out from the hall and Rukino sticks close without him having to warn her. At least she has some common sense.

 “What’s the plan?” Rukino whispers. 

 “Your Valvrave and our Kirschbaums are being held in the hangar,” X-eins replies. “They’re being moved first thing tomorrow. We need to remove them before then.”

 “We’re going to steal them?”

 “Exactly.”

 “Alright, let me get in Carmilla and I’ll smash everything that stands in front of us.”

 “Subtly,” X-eins says, glaring discreetly. “If we simply take them and blast away, we’ll bring fire straight down on Module 77 when we don’t know their situation.”

 “I suppose,” Rukino sighs.

 “I haven’t gone through efforts this far to keep our escape as low key as possible,” he hisses, “just for you to make a scene. Try to be subtle and delicate for once in your life.” 

 “You’re very rude.”

 “You’re my enemy.”

 “You started it.”

 “Your Valvraves started it.”

 “You would have invaded eventually anyway.”

 X-eins scowls, swiping his stolen ID card and Rukino hurries after him into the hangar. She stops with a sharp intake of breath. A working Dorssian hangar is nothing like their pathetic mockery. Only five Valvraves and a few Splicers are nothing. It’s proof of how tiny their little nation really is. 

 “How are we supposed to find them?” Rukino hisses. 

 X-eins is already putting on his glasses and working on the computer terminal to locate the transport holding their robots. He doesn’t want to waste time. The longer they linger, the most chance of their escape being discovered. He can’t rely on anyone else to get them out of this mess. He can’t rely on anyone else any further. 

 “X-eins?” Rukino whispers, standing next to him. 

 “Hush,” X-eins mutters. “There are a lot of pieces going in and out. I’m working as quickly as I can.”

 It takes a few minutes of searching and scanning before he has answers. Of course, they’re in the high security bay. He scowls, shutting down the terminal and striding away. Rukino hurries after him. She’s at least following his lead well. She doesn’t look nervous. She follows his strides with grace and elegance and confidence that means very few people will question what they’re doing.

 

 “Beyond these hatches there’s no more magnetism,” X-eins tells her. 

 “Magnetism?” she repeats.

 X-eins taps the toes of his shoe on the floor. “To provide a secure footing, particularly within places where gravity is needed, our shoes and the floor have weak magnet pulls. Not strong enough to be taken advantage of by enemies, but enough to keep you on the ground. Didn’t you wonder why we were walking?”

 “Module 77 has artificial gravity,” Rukino replies.

 “I’m aware,” he says. “JIOR’s gravitational achievements are the envy of many. Your scientists are rather incredible, as seen by your Valvraves, even if it is alien technology, you made it work. It was what allowed the Dyson Spheres to become possible. This is the high security area. Just follow me and don’t hesitate. Don’t look at things you’re not supposed to. Lots of things in here are high security projects and prototypes you mustn’t know about without clearance. And without a Karlstein uniform we’re unlikely to have the clearance. Have you ever fought in low gravity?”

 “I’ve never really fought without my Valvrave,” she whispers. “I’m a pilot.”  

 The doors open and X-eins frowns. “In that case, stay close, hang back when I tell you, use that knife if anyone tries to approach you while I’m busy.”

 “Ok.”

 

 X-eins pushes off and Rukino follows, floating behind as he heads towards the bay their transport is in. He keeps head lower, focused on the tablet in his hand to stop anyone thinking of talking to him. Move with purpose and impatience and you’re far less likely to be disturbed. He grasps one the of the bars when they reach the bay. It’s a plain unmarkers transport. Nothing to arouse any suspicions about what’s inside. He flashes his ID card for a second at the guards, not letting them see anything but with enough arrogance to make them nervous about questioning them. 

 The door to the cockpit opens when X-eins knocks. The two admin staff step and and X-eins gestures for Rukino to get in. She does quickly, much to the surprise of the staff. 

 “What are you-”

 “I apologise,” X-eins says, sliding on his glasses. “But I am on a tight deadline and don’t have time to debate my course of actions. Please, leave while you still can.” 

 “Traitor!” yells voices around him. “The traitor escaped!”

 “Alright. You were warned.” 

 He pulls off his cap and pulls out his pistol, pushing the cap into the face of one of the staff to block his view and shooting the other dead. The gunshot has everyone’s focus on them. Not that X-eins cares. He’s taken on bigger forces than this before. Although, admittedly, they weren’t his own forces. They weren’t people he knew and had sat in classes with and commanded and worked with. 

 But none of those bonds mean anything compared to H-neun.

 He twists the remaining admin staff, holding him as a shield as bullets riddle his body, pushing them back without gravity’s resistance. His feet his the hangar wall, bringing him to a rough stop. He shoves the body forward, back at the other soldier as he pushes up to the catwalk above, grasping the handrail to change direction and taking out a few soldiers with shots to the head and chest, propelling him along. 

 Another swing using the handrail and he lands on top of the transport. Rukino is gazing up at him through the cockpit door.

 “X-eins-”

 “Switch,” he demands, holding out his empty pistol. She grasp it and hands over hers quickly. “Stay back from the door. Reload it. Ammo’s in the compartment above the consol.”

 “R-right!”

 X-eins pushes off again. He flicks out his knife, changing his trajectory. There’s a wet thud across the hangar but X-eins is more focused on his own movement. His fingers snatch one of the diagnostic wires. Attached to Q-vier’s Kirschbaum, he realises, but quickly shakes that thought and focuses on using the cable to arc, using the momentum as a slingshot. His boots slam into a soldier’s chest and then into the wall behind with a crunch and a wet cough. A swift, well positioned kick puts him out of his misery and pushes him into a graceful flip, firing down on soldiers to adjust himself. 

 On the far wall, he grasps his knife, lodged in the side of an engineer. He catches another shot being lined up in a reflection and pushes off, tearing his knife away and leaving the engineer to be put down by his own soldiers. He hopes if he does ever clear his name and return home this carnage isn’t going to go on his record.

 

 Rukino screams and X-eins glances back. She’s being dragged from the cockpit by her ankles, hanging onto the seat desperately as she kicks and struggles. Damn it! 

 “Rukino, sleeve!” he calls, grabbing a soldier’s arm and slashing  open his throat.

 “What sleeve?”

 “I can’t walk you through everything!”

 She looks utterly terrified. It’s blatantly obvious she’s not a soldier. She’s barely a pilot. It’s very different when you can see the enemy’s face. But she’s the immortal one. X-eins doesn’t actually care what happens to her. If he can get her back to Module 77 he can prove his loyalty and get them to let their guard down. If not, he’ll figure out another way. 

 “Kill... don’t get killed...” 

 He pauses and glances back at Rukino’s whisper. It’s a mistake and in his distraction he barely blocks another knife swipe. He grabs their wrist and twist, thrusting his heel into their throat and slamming them to the ground so he can push off.

 “Kill, don’t get killed.”

 He lands on the side of the transport with just enough of a view to see a tearful Rukino fumble inside her sleeve for the knife. He won’t help. She has to learn this on her own. Apparently A-drei her taught her what got them through though. He smiles, bitterly, bracing against the transport as he takes out another few soldiers as they enter through the heavy doors. 

 “Kill, don’t get killed!”

 There’s a flash of the blade as it buries itself in one of the soldier’s throats accompanying Rukino’s terrified scream. X-eins promptly shoots the second soldier with his last round.

 “Pull it out,” he commands. Rukino sobs but does so, blood soaking into her unifrom. “Kick.” Again, she obeys, kicking away the bodies. “Switch.”

 “Why do you wear white uniforms?!” Rukino cries, switching their pistols again.

 “So you can spot a coward.” Rukino stares up at him and X-eins smiles back bitterly. “Kill. Don’t get killed. No matter who.”

 Rukino’s eyes widen. “Even your friend?!”

 “Even F-sech. A-drei told you then? The sin we carry together. Hold dear what’s most important to you, Rukino Saki. Don’t ever doubt what you’ll be willing to do for what’s truly precious. Get it started. I’ll finish off. We need to go before backup arrives.”

 “I don’t know how!” Rukino cries as he pushes off towards the door. “X-eins!”

 “Figure it out, I’m busy.”

 “You’re so rude!”

 

 It doesn’t take long for Rukino to work out how to get the transport started. Just in time, as it happens. The heavy hangar doors opens and X-eins hisses as a bullet scrapes his shoulder and a familiar laughter fills the air. He pushes off the wall, returning fire as Q-vier flies into the zero gravity bay. A-drei orders the surrounding soldiers into position but X-eins is already at the transport. He switches out pistols with Rukino once more and this time aims straight at Q-vier, his bullet piercing his uniform at the hip and staining it red as he screams.

 “Q-vier!” 

 A-drei wraps his arms around him as X-eins instructs Rukino on how to get the transport ready to depart. A-drei glares up at him, X-eins keeps half an eye on him as he shoots out the rest of the soldiers with precision and impatience, not caring if they’re dead or not. They soon will be. 

 “Traitor!” Q-vier screams, trashing in A-drei’s arms, unable to get a proper aim with his pistol in such a state. “X-eins, you traitor!”

 X-eins glances over, discreetly gesturing to A-drei to get Q-vier out the hangar. Yes, he knows everything Q-vier is yelling is true, but he doesn’t want to kill them. A-drei’s eyes widen and he jerks Q-vier back.

 “Retreat!” he calls, barely heard as the engine’s roar. “Everyone pull back!”

 None of them will make it. X-eins kicks the lever to close the cockpit door, getting off a few parting shots before he has to pull inside completely. He gives A-drei a moment to shut the hangar doors before opening up the doors to the vacuum of space and lowering the transport for from the hangar.

 “You bastard, X-eins!” Q-vier yells over the comms. “You tried to space us! You bastard traitor, I’m going to kill you!” 

 “Are we really still calling it spacing?” X-eins sighs, shutting off the comms.

 “Spacing?” Rukino says quietly as X-eins guides them away from the ship.

 “Opening an airlock to the pressurised area,” he replies, “causing any occupants to be exposed to the vacuum of space without suitable protection, often sucked out due to rapid depressurisation and causing near instant death. The normal punishment for stowaways actually.”

 “That’s awful.”

 “Yes.” The transport rocks as cannon fire aims at their engines. They’re obviously looking to knock out the engines and take them and their robots with as little damage as possible. “Rukino. Perhaps you should take your Valvrave and provide us with some covering fire.”

 “What happened to subtle?” Rukino says.

 “Plans have to change, unfortunately,” he replies. “That’s why it’s important to have back up plans. If we don’t shake off some of their fire, we’ll be taken back to those cells in no time.”

 “Then why don’t you go out there and risk your life-”

 “Because I’m not going to leave you behind,” he snaps. “I’m supposed to bring you back or he’ll kill my partner. I don’t have any choice. I can’t guarantee you’d do anything for my own safety.”

 “What sort of monster do you think I am?” Rukino snaps.

 The transport jolts again. “Just go!”

 

 Rukino glares at him for a moment before turning away and heading through the hatch into the hold. X-eins watching her on the monitor, sealing the hatch behind her and as she floats up to the green Valvrave’s chest cockpit. As soon as it’s sealed, he opens up the side of the transport and releases the clamps, letting Rukino take off into the battlefield. X-eins clenches his jaw, watching Rukino and her disgusting green Valvrave. These students and their Valvraves have outdone them at every turn, no matter what they do, no matter how sound their plan. It makes a mockery of all their years of training if these ragtag bunch students without an ounce of formal training or battle experience can outpace them at every turn! 

 But X-eins frowns, watching the way Rukino moves. She’s hesitating. She’s not killing. He clenches his jaw and sets their transport on auto pilot. He’d normally never be so reckless as to take to a robot, especially in space, without a suit and helmet and armour. They don’t wear it for the fun of it. However, needs must. Rukino is suffering from the ill effects of having killed by her own hand for the first time. It’s not uncommon. In a robot, you’re detached from the situation. You don’t have to see the light leaving your opponent’s eyes. 

 “Pull back, Rukino,” X-eins calls over the comms, locking onto her frequency. 

 The green Valvrave pauses as X-eins’ guides his Kirschbaum from the transport. Even if he can’t use the Lowenglitzen, he can’t replace the power pack like this, their Kirschbaums are still deadly war machines.The hand cannons and missiles will do the job. And at this moment, as far as he can tell, there are only four in fully working order. It’ll take A-drei and Q-vier a good five minutes to get fully suited up and launch. If Q-vier is even allowed to suit up with his injury.

 “X-eins-”

 “Cover the transport and keep moving,” he says. “I’ll take care of this.” 

 “Why… why do my hands keep shaking?” Rukino whispers. “I’ve done this so many time before so-”

 “Get a hold of yourself,” he snaps, moving around to fire on the closest Waffe. “Keep the damn transport moving or we’re going to be shot at every five minutes on trip back to the moon.”

 “But-”

 “Keep moving! Before Q-vier and A-drei get out.”

 Rukino can at least keep herself together well enough to cover the transport from missiles with her spinners and uses hard light to cover beam shot. After X-eins wrecks a few Ideals, only unmanned Waffe approach, and he doubts they believe they can be a real threat. He even notices his own old Ideal hanging back in the fleet, repainted plain blue and white, but the head unit has yet to be replaced with a standard design version. X-eins smiles bitterly. It had only just been rebuild after its run in with Rukino’s green Valvrave when he and H-neun were told they would be taking the first Kirschbaum deemed ready for live testing. His Ideal had always served him well though. He’s actually illogically glad he doesn’t have to destroy it. It doesn’t look like A-drei will be joining the battle with the only machine in Dorssia’s regular fleet capable of taking him on directly. They’re safe.

 

 It’s only once they’re out of range of a sneak attack that he deems it safe enough to return their to the hold. X-eins doesn’t bother checking on Rukino. He slips from his cockpit the moment the hold is pressurised again. That was not the plan. He heads back into the transport cockpit and Rukino joins him not long after. She’s shaking.

 “Why couldn’t I fight?” she whispers, gazing down at shaking hands. “I’ve done that so many times. Why couldn’t I do it?”

 “Because it’s easy not to think about the lives you take when you’re in a robot fighting other robots,” X-eins replies. “You killed face to face for the first time in your life. That’s very different.” 

 “You killed so many people and didn’t even flinch,” Rukino says, gazing up at him. “And I freaked out over one. I’ve killed so many more than that before.”

 “But never face to face,” he says, shaking his head. Hadn’t he just said this? “It’s different.”

 “What was your first time like?”

 X-eins frowns. “We’d been with Cain for a week or so. He took us out after a battle, handed us each a pistol and told us to kill the traitors. H-neun killed them all so I wouldn’t have to. But Cain said I had to kill. I didn’t have a choice. If I wanted to stay with H-neun, I had no choice but to prove I had the strength of will to take a life. Even just one.”

 “You killed him?”

 “I did,” he says. Rukino frowns. “I was a child. Seven or so. That’s why Karlstein takes trainees so young. It’s easier to mold their vision of what’s right and wrong and how their consciences form. We were old enough to understand murder was wrong, but they had taken our families from us, they’d taken everything from us. All I could think about was how much the royalists had taken us, how I wouldn’t lose him too. I’d do anything to stay with him forever.”

 “You must love him a lot,” Rukino whispers. 

 “I do,” he replies. “He’s my world. He’s the only thing that’s kept me going through all of this. If you don’t have someone else to fight for, then at least fight to survive, until you can find someone who makes life bearable.” 

 “Haruto,” she says. X-eins tilts his head. It takes a moment, but the vulnerability fades and she shakes her head. “I’m an idol, you know, but he won’t even look at me. What kind of man is he?” She laughs and X-eins sighs. “You’d think beautiful world wide idol would be enough to compete with a childhood friend.” 

 “I’m afraid you won’t have any luck here either,” he says, shaking his head. 

 Rukino huffs and pouts, crossing one leg over the other. “You’re not my type anyway.”


	25. Decision Making Process

 Life has never been much better, X-eins thinks. Despite everything else - lying here on H-neun’s shoulder, half asleep under warm covers, feeling almost homely after getting thoroughly re-acquainted with each other - he’s sure he’s found the place he belongs. Even in Dorssia, in the academy and on ships, it’s never felt like this before. He’s never felt so soft and warm and safe. Truly content. H-neun strokes his hair gently as artificial sunlight starts to move through the curtains. They’ve been here too long. The kids and L-elf are probably going to get suspicious. They haven’t even started to talk about everything that’s happened.

 X-eins smiles tiredly, sliding his hand over H-neun’s stomach. Firm and muscled. H-neun had always been the one with the most defined form. Looking back, X-eins wishes he’d paid more attention to H-neun weight lifting in the gym. There must be a gym somewhere either in the school or in the abandoned city that surrounded it. Maybe he can convince him he needs to keep up his old exercise regime. 

 “What are you thinking?” H-neun says, tipping his chin and kissing him lightly. “I know that look, X. What are you plotting in that devious little mind?”

 “Little?” X-eins says, eyes narrowed slightly. 

 H-neun laughs sheepishly and tilts his head. “Well… How about we get back to what you’re thinking?”

 “Just that we should consider returning to some sort of exercise program,” he says with a smile. “I’m sure there must be a gym somewhere in the town we can use in private, away from kids.”

 “And news reporters.”

 “New reporters?”

 “Yeah, apparently there’s some ARUS reporter here doing segments on the kids. Apparently it’s good for publicity and money and raises sympathy.”

 “Sensible,” X-eins says. “But annoying for us.”

 “Definitely,” H-neun agrees. “You know, this is all very nice, but maybe we should snoop around the city beyond the school for somewhere to move into. Away from kids and reporters and then if we do decide to let Dorssia in, we just let them have the school and we’re a long way from the action.”

 “It would definitely be the safer option,” he says, nodding slightly. “So… I kissed A-drei…”

 “What?”

 “A few times.”

 “What? Why?”

 “And let him believe I was a Magius.”

 “How on earth does that help anything?”

 “And him and Kriemhild know about us and Cain.”

 “X.”

 “And Cain knows about them-”

 H-neun puts his hand over his mouth and narrows his eyes a little. “X. Conext please. You only do this sorta quick explanation when you’re trying to avoid telling me the details. Talk slowly and explain.”

 

 “Alright, alright,” X-eins sighs as he takes his hand from his mouth. “So, you’re aware Rukino Saki was in the body of a young Karlstein student who’s been following A-drei around?” H-neun nods. “She returned to the transport and was seen by A-drei changing bodies.”

 “So you had to explain to A-drei like you promised?” 

 “Precisely.”

 “How did that lead you making out with him?”

 “I never said-” X-eins sighs and shakes his head. “A-drei and I came up with some interesting ideas while we were talking things through. However, then he asked me why, if we believed the children were connected to the same creatures who tried to kill us, we would have run to them and L-elf?”

 “Ahh, that isn’t something we can’t really explain without telling him we’re capturing L-elf,” H-neun says with a sigh. “Although, I guess, because we have nowhere else to go is a pretty reasonable explanation too.”

 “A-drei wanted to know why we trusted a possibly possessed L-elf and Magius students, over him and the royalists.”

 “Because you can’t trust royalists,” he murmurs. X-eins smiles and H-neun grins back. “I know you think I’ve forgotten, X, but I haven’t. I remember what they did to us. I remember how much it hurt. I remember our promise. A-drei being a good guy, me working with Kriemhild, it doesn’t change what we promised.”

 X-eins nods. “We’ll talk more about that later.”

 “Why? What have you got up to?”

 “The point was, how could we be safe in a place potentially controlled by the people we’re running from?” H-neun frowns at him. “It was best not to let him get too close to either truth. So, I let him believe I was a Magius, that you simply arrived too late, but I allowed you to believe you’d saved me. And that you were here to ensure you were ready for Cain to take your body when he was ready.”

 “You let Cain possess me?”

 “Not right away,” X-eins replies, placing a placating kiss on his lips. “Just eventually.”

 “Wow I hate you.”

 “The point is, by believing I was a Magius, it explained away any manipulation or acting out of character, along with making him rather determined to protect us and save us anyway he could. He was desperate to save us from these creatures, no matter what it took.” He laughs a little, rolling over to lie on top of H-neun, face to face and chest to chest, relishing the feel of their bare bodies pressed together fully. “He even threatened to lock me away in a royalist safe house and bring you to me, to keep us locked up safe and the Magius me fed to protect us.”

 “You gotta give him credit for commitment,” H-neun laughs. “Although I’m not sure that explains why you kissed him.”

 “Because I had to be convincing,” X-eins replies. “I had to make sure he believed he wasn’t me. And, quite honestly, I don’t see what all the fuss is about.”

 “You’re so jealous.”

 “Shut up. The point is, he played along nicely, helped when I needed him to and made no questions about any secrets I was keeping. He’s even put down my attitude towards him as the Magius rather than myself.”

 “He’s gonna punch you when you tell him the truth,” H-neun sighs. “And I will let him.”

 X-eins laughs and nods, leaning into H-neun’s shoulder once more. He probably deserves it. Even so, he curls up against H-neun, always glad how their bodies fit so perfectly together, for H-neun’s warmth and strange mix of hard and soft. He’s glad to be back by his side. It’s been too long without him. 

 

 “You know… the royalists were looking for you,” X-eins whispers. H-neun frowns. “They assumed royal guards so high up must have been guarding the location of our town for a reason. They assumed it was the perfect hiding place for some kind of weapon that they had to get hold of before the military. But it was you. They were guarding the secret of your location.”

 “Then… then it was my-”

 “Fault?” X-eins shakes his head. “It was never your fault. If anyone’s to blame, it’s your parents for making it seem suspicious, and the royalists for murdering everyone. You were never at fault and I don’t blame you in the slightest. Please don’t think for a moment I do.” 

 “X…” He sighs and pushes X-eins off gently, sitting up and letting the covers fall around his hips. X-eins smiles from the pillows, reaching up and tracing his fingers down his chest. “We’re gonna be late for class.”

 “Class?” he repeats. He laughs and H-neun frowns at him. “Wasn’t it you at the start of this all telling me that we could lie in because we weren’t bound by schedules?”

 “True true,” H-neun laughs, getting up and offering X-eins his hands. He smiles back and grasps them, letting him pull him up. “Things have changed. As L-elf says, he has a role for us. I’ve been teaching the kids piloting and combat. You need to do strategy and marksmanship.”

 “Do I now?”

 “And they’re totally uncultured. They really do believe all that ARUS propaganda about us. I’ve been trying to teach them but they’re so anti-Dorssia.”

 “I wonder why,” X-eins says dryly. 

 H-neun smiles back, wrapping his arms around him and holding him close. X-eins is glad. Even as Cain’s warning’s echo through his mind. He wants to trust his feelings. He doesn’t want to doubt his feelings. He wants to believe these feelings for H-neun are real. 

 “What’s wrong, X?” H-neun whispers.

 “Nothing,” X-eins replies, shaking his head.

 “X-eins.”

 “What if things don’t work out?” he says quietly. “I don’t want to lose you.”

 “I would never let that happen,” he laughs, shaking his head. “We’re always going to be friends. No matter what.”

 “Hano…”

 

 “Oi, what the hell are you two-” 

 X-eins lifts his head from H-neun’s shoulder, gazing back at Yamada Raizo, who’s slowly going rather red and staring at them. Perhaps they should have locked that. Or worn clothes for the night. After a moment, X-eins composes himself and smiles, pressing himself a little further against H-neun.

 “Good morning, Yamada Raizo. If you intend to join us, perhaps you should shut the door, no?”

 Yamada jerks back and the door shuts behind with a yell for them to get dressed. X-eins laughs softly into his hand and H-neun frowns down at him. 

 “What’s with you and him?” H-neun huffs, arms tightening around him. “Ever since he stole my body you’ve been weird with him.”

 He chuckles softly and shakes his head. “He’s fun to tease, don’t you think?”

 “I think he has a crush on you.”

 “You think?” he mutters.

 “Come on, I need a shower,” X-eins says, heading into their attached bathroom. Nice of them to give them a self contained room with a wet room, rather than having to share with the students. Probably some kind of reasoning that they can lock them up in isolation if they’re a threat. “Let Yamada in and we’ll wash up.”

 “I’m not sharing you. And definitely not with him.” X-eins smiles and nods, listening to the door opening again. “We’re having a shower. You can wait. I’m not sharing him with you.”

 “Just put some damn clothes on, you’re late for class. We can’t keep that Burnett guy out of your way forever.” 

 The bathroom door shuts and X-eins is already stepping into the shower as H-neun puts down their towels and school uniforms. Apparently the school uniform is still standard most the time. Well, it’s better than being in a foreign military uniform, he supposes. 

 “I love having artificial gravity.”

 “It’s definitely better than trying to wash on the ships,” H-neun sighs, finally joining him. They had a sort of shower on the ships. It involved pushing the water out at a reasonable pressure to make sure it reached the ground without too much pressure to make it dangerous. “And you definitely need it.”

 “Shut up,” X-eins mutters. “Dorssian high security prisons aren’t known for long luxurious showers. I hate a bucket of cold water tossed over me one morning.”

 “Living the high life.”

 “Definitely.” He pulls X-eins in, wrapping him up in his arms and washing him gently. “I’m not sure what we’re supposed to do, Hano.”

 “You’re not?”

 “We’re helping these kids? Aren’t we supposed to be taking L-elf into custody?” 

 “We’re playing by ear, remember?” H-neun laughs softly. “Whatever feels right. And these kids are fun. I sorta like it here.”

 “You do?” X-eins murmurs. H-neun nods a little. “You want to stay?”

 “I dunno about that,” he replies and X-eins frowns. “But, if this is all that’s ahead of us, I don’t think I mind.”

 X-eins nods. “Then, we’ll have to make the most of it, won’t we? Being normal?”

 “I don’t think we’re normal,” H-neun laughs. “I don’t think I’m ready to go back to being that other me just yet.”

 X-eins tilts his head. Not ready to go back to the other him? That child he used to be? X-eins doesn’t know if he remembers how to be innocent. Can he stop being a soldier? A murderer? He sighs and lowers his head onto H-neun’s shoulder as he lathers up the shampoo in his hair. 

 “Maybe we’ll learn while we’re here.”

 

 By the time Yamada is leading them down the hell towards a noisy classroom, H-neun informs him they’re half an hour late. Not that it’s anything new for him. X-eins loses count of the amount of time he’s had to take notes for H-neun and slide them over to him as he slips into the back of their first period classes with an apologetic smile. 

 “We should see about you teaching Sashinami more about politics,” H-neun says as they’re heading up the hall. “Something more delicate than L-elf’s style of negotiations.” 

 “He is rather unsubtle most the time.” 

They open the door and the students look up as Yamada takes his seat. X-eins looks them over slowly.  He recognises the pilots, of course, but there are others too. H-neun had mentioned that the group wasn’t just the current pilots but potential pilots and key combat members. 

 “Alright, guys,” H-neun says with a grin. “You finally get to meet my partner, you guys who haven’t already. This is X-eins, our sniper and strategist, after L-elf. He’ll be teaching you guys the same. He’s gonna be helping you guys in the cabinet too. And nice to see Rukino back too.” 

 “Good to be back,” Rukino replies. “X-eins did a wonderful job protecting me and helping me get home.” 

 “It’s nice to meet you all,” X-eins says. “I don’t know what H-neun has been teaching you, or how, but I imagine I will be far firmer than him.”

 “I’ve already warned them about that,” H-neun laughs.

 “How do you want to do this?”

 “We’ve got a schedule, we can work out some kind of rota in the longer term, but we’ve for most the morning today if you want to do assessments and figure out who needs what, or just get to know everyone.”

 “What’s that reporter doing today? I don’t want to have to deal with him?”

 “He’s going to be doing a piece with Shoko this morning,” Tokishima says. “In about an hour.”

 “So, if we let you guys get to know each other, then we can head down into the town and find somewhere to practice once we’re sure he’s out the way?” H-neun suggests.

 X-eins nods a little. “Sounds good.” 

 “So,” he laughs, sitting on the desk as X-eins takes a seat behind it. “Free time then, kids. Ask away and I’ll do my best to make him be friendly.”

 “I’m always civil.”

 “Friendly, X.”

 The discussions are animated and lively and the kids are full of curiosity. Which is good. Cain always said curiosity was better for soldiers and students. They ask questions without hesitation and, although they tend to blurt out what they’re thinking without any tact, they seem very responsive to learning through discussion and debate.

 

 Eventually, H-neun leads the way out and the class trails behind them, still chatting away and X-eins is rather glad to hear there’s some discussion of strategy and combat between them. They fetch some paint guns and pellets from the equipment shed and they pick up some spray cans along the way. X-eins spots an adult talking to Sashinami Shoko in one of the windows, and he knows the man spots them, looking at them with a strange look as they head out across the bridge town. It doesn’t take long to find a suitable spot to practice. 

 “Will you paint some nice enemies for me, Hanao?” X-eins says, handing him two spray cans. “And a route?”

 “Sure thing. You gonna run them as groups or on their own?” H-neun says. 

 “Alone first, I want to see what they can do alone.” H-neun nods and heads off into the back alleys while X-eins turns to the class. “This is a simple exercise. Hano will paint enemies in white. You’ll see the the path you have to take in red.” He gestures back where H-neun has painted an obvious human shape on the wall and a red arrow pointing them into the alleys. “Each of you will have a colour. Kill the enemy, follow the route, meet Hano at the other end. Understand?”

 They nod and X-eins hands out paint pistols, giving each of the first five students - the Valvrave pilots, even Renbokoji Akira hiding beneath a far too big scarf - a different colours paint set. 

 “You can go first, Tokishima.” 

 “How many are there? And why do I have to be pink?”

 “We’re using red,” X-eins replies. “Standard Karlstein training would fifty, although they’re not shooting back. H-neun will have a total and be watching.”

 “Ready!” H-neun calls. 

 “Are you going to time them?” he calls back. 

 “Sure.” 

 “Ready, Tokishima?”

 “You can call me Haruto, you know.”

 “Start!”

 

 Tokishima nods and narrows his eyes, landing a decent hit on the first target and following the arrow into the maze of alleys. H-neun will record it for him, he can look it over later and figure them out more. H-neun calls from above when Tokishima is done and Yamada steps up next. There’s a moment, the pair of them watching each other before X-eins tilts his head.

 “Ready?”

 “Let’s go.”

 “Start!”

 

 They cycle through the Valvrave pilots before H-neun herds them back to the main group, touching up the targets so they can use the same colours for the next group. They’re chatting away about which ones they missed and which they hit until H-neun hushes them. 

 They work through the groups at a steady pace before everyone is done. H-neun hands back the tablet with the student’s times and scores. X-eins frowns. He’ll have to look over the footage to know how it’s really gone, but it’s not awful. Average, he supposes.

 “Would you hit them all?” Yamada says.

 X-eins glances back. “Probably.”

 “Then why don’t you show it how it’s done?” Rukino says, folding his arms.

 “I certainly wouldn’t mind,” H-neun says with a grin.

 “I’m sure you wouldn’t,” X-eins replies, taking the blue paint gun. 

 “I put some in there you’re bad at,” he says.

 X-eins glares at him for a moment before shoot his foot. H-neun yelps and jerks back, glaring at the blue paint splatter on his shoes and trousers. X-eins smiles back at him before picking up a few sets of spare ammo and heading to the start. 

 “Ready?” H-neun says. X-eins nods. “I’ll bring up the cameras for you kids once he’s going. Start!”

 X-eins gets the first target like it’s nothing and swings around the corner into the maze of alleys. Knowing H-neun knows his weak points and is trying to trip him up makes him more wary. There are definitely a few points his needs to be careful of. He pauses as he gets up and over one of the walls, twisting to his a target sprayed on a third floor window. H-neun’s gone through a lot of effort to make this hard in the areas he’s weak, hasn’t he? What a pain of boyfriend he’s got. He drops down the other side of the wall, hitting a few extra targets and continuing on.

 “You got them all,” H-neun huffs as he returns. “How annoying.”

 “Did you want me to fail?” X-eins replies. “What a cruel boyfriend you are.”

 “I just like to make sure you’re constantly improving,” he laughs. “You’ve got to make sure you keep yourself improving. In top form.”

 “Top form, huh?” he mutters. He sighs and turns to the class. “I’ll look over the videos and your scores and see what needs working on. You can do what you want for now.”

 “Letting them out early, X? You’re going soft.”

 “Alternately there’s still time for you to go through some combat training.” H-neun grins and X-eins thinks he might have just let himself in for something troublesome.”Hano-”

 “Finally, that big brain of yours is coming in handy,” H-neun laughs. “Combat training. Umm… someone find some rags.”

 

 Within five minutes they’ve got some sheets and H-neun has them using the paint guns to dye them. Next thing he knows, they’re tearing them into strips and handing them out to them in teams based on the colour used for the tests. 

 “Alright,” H-neun calls. “You each get a strip of fabric in your colour. That’s your team. We’re gonna have a thirty minute time limit, so everyone set timers on your phones. Anyone not back here within ten minutes of the time limit is disqualified and I’m gonna make you run laps. Lots of laps. As a team. So watch the time.”

 It seems harsh but mission timing is critical. One had to be ready on time for the next part of the plan to work. It’s good to teach them about timing and teamwork now.

 “X and me are going to have red and white each,” he continues, handing him a whitestrip of fabric. “We won’t be trying to get them off you, and we’re gonna supervise, but anyone gets one of ours, you get a special prize, ok?”

 “I didn’t agree to that,” X-eins mutters as the children start to break off into groups to plan.

 “Like anyone’s gonna get it off you,” he laughs. X-eins glares half heartedly. “The only rule is that you’re not to hurt each other, got it? Nothing sharp. But you can use the paint guns in your colour. Whoever has the most pieces of another colour and fewest of your own lost wins, got it?” They all nod and chatter as H-neun holds up his phone and X-eins sighs, setting his. The kids are already backing away preparing to scramble. “Ready? Go!”

 

 The kids run off in their groups and X-eins sighs, turning to walk away and find a place to supervise and potentially fight off some overconfident students. Only H-neun catches his hand. X-eins frowns and turns to him.

 “Hano?”

 H-neun smiles and pulls him down one of the alleyways where they’d been training the kids. Weren’t the supposed to be watching over the kids? H-neun smiles and pulls him in, kissing him deeply. They definitely shouldn’t be getting carried away when the students are around potentially hunting them. But H-neun’s kisses are so addictive he can’t help it. He wraps his arms around H-neun’s shoulders, leaning into his touch, uncaring as he pushes him to the wall, their bodies rocking together. 

 “Hano…” 

 “I was promised a prize for capturing your colour, right?” H-neun purrs.

 “I don’t remember agreeing to that,” X-eins argues.

 It’s too late, of course. H-neun is already tying his wrists with his own red rag. He’s lucky his kisses are as relaxing and placating as they are or X-eins wouldn’t be nearly as forgiving of this as he is. And then H-neun turns him against the wall, pulling away his collar, mouth moving along the length of his neck. X-eins clenches his bound hands against the wall, breath coming out in soft pants as H-neun’s hands slide down over his hips and between his legs. 

 “Hano!” 

 “Shh, X, they’ll hear you and find us. Don’t you remember basic training? Keep your voice dow- ow!” X-eins is glad the kick to the shin did the job and got the message through. “How typically you, X. You make me work my ass off you every step of the way, huh?”

 Or not.

 “Hano, we just had a shower, I’ve not even being wearing this uniform a day-”

 “Want me to stop?” H-neun says. X-eins purses his lips. He hates H-neun so much some days. “X?”

 “Keep going.”

 H-neun grins against his neck and X-eins gasps as H-neun’s hand slide into underwear. His fingers clench against the harsh concrete of the building, pushing his hips into H-neun’s hands as he pumps his length torturously slowly.  Hot sparks shoot up his spine and his back arches tightly. H-neun really does know how to have him coming undone at the seams. It’s hard to keep his voice down the longer it goes on. The kids voices are echoing around them. Not so far from them, searching for opponents and targets. 

 

 Fingers close around his chin and X-eins finds himself ignoring every instinct drilled into him for years, allowing H-neun to tip back his head and put the white rag H-neun had stolen from him is into his mouth as a gag. They’d had it drilled into them since they were children; allowing himself to be put in such a position - restrained and silenced - might have well be a death sentence. Perhaps that’s why it makes his heart race. He’s allowed himself to be put in this vulnerable, helpless position, completely at H-neun’s mercy, because he trusts him. Of course, H-neun could completely betray that trust, but isn’t that what it means trust?

 Although, X-eins does wonder if this is pay back for how X-eins had treated him on the coach or H-neun exploring more of his kinks? 

 “Ok?” H-neun whispers into his shoulder. X-eins nods. He wouldn’t have just let H-neun get away with it if he wasn’t? “Comfortable?” Another nod. “Let me know if you want me to stop.”

 H-neun’s concern is surprisingly reassuring. X-eins doesn’t remember his previous boyfriends ever being so concerned by his consenting to such seemingly small steps. How does such a small thing as consent become such a turn on? He pushes himself back against H-neun’s body, grinding into him with a moan and rubbing against the bulge in H-neun’s pants. 

 “Someone’s eager,” H-neun laughs breathlessly, hands sliding into his pants once more. Like he could talk. H-neun groans into his neck and X-eins moans in return. If the kids find them like this it’s going to be humiliating. Even so, that somehow adds to the thrill. “Hey, did you ever go all the way with any of the others?”

 X-eins shakes his head. He’d come close with one but it had never seemed right at the time and he’d always ended up pushing him off, leaving them both frustrated with the disconnect. Perhaps he really had been mad about H-neun all this time. Perhaps he’d been waiting without realising. 

 H-neun pulls him around and pushes him back to the wall. Without thinking, X-eins puts his arms around his neck, leaning back and moaning shamelessly as H-neun opens up their clothes, pulling them down just enough to press their aching hot lengths together. H-neun bites X-eins’ collar to keep quiet as he squeezes lightly and strokes his hand over them both at once. X-eins twists his wrists a little. He wants to touch him. He wants to make H-neun feel good too. 

 “You ok?” H-neun whispers, obviously noticing his squirming. 

 X-eins nods quickly, pushing his touch into desperately, twisting his wrists as best he can to tangle his hands into his hair. After a moment, H-neun laughs breathlessly and nods before starting to pump his hand slowly once more. X-eins eyes fall shut and his head tips back as he moans. Everything is perfect with H-neun. Everything is right. He doesn’t want to doubt these feelings anymore. He doesn’t want to doubt him and H-neun. No more doubt. No more fear. No more second guessing. They’ve come this far together. Why should he doubt they’ll continue on side by side?

 

 The release is an incredible high, better than anything before, and leaves X-eins leaning heavily on the wall, holding H-neun close even in his exhaustion. And H-neun doesn’t move away, doesn’t even try to. Just rests against him, breathing softly. After a long moment composing themselves, H-neun reaches up and gently unties the gag. 

 “Ok?” he whispers with a soft kiss. X-eins nods breathlessly and H-neun takes his wrists. He unties them and presses gentle kisses to the inside of each wrist. “Nothing hurt?”

 “I’m alright,” X-eins replies, cupping his face. The concern H-neun has for his well being is touching. He smiles and kisses him softly. “I’m wonderful.” He laughs softly, drawing H-neun into another lingering kiss. “And you helped me decide something.”

 “I did?” 

 “We can’t go back,” he says, taking a pack of tissues from his pocket. 

 H-neun frowns as he takes one to clean himself off as X-eins does the same. They’ll have to wash up properly when they get back. “You’ve decided? Because of that?”

 “Do you know what they say about us, Hano?” he says quietly.

 “That we’re together,” H-neun replies. “I know. I hear them too. I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve heard those rumours. That you can’t manage and you’re here because I held you hand through it all because we’re sleeping together. With varying levels of consent.” 

 “The latest one I heard while locked up was that it’s Cain pulling us up,” he laughs bitterly. “And it’s only me desire for you that keeps you by my side, in hopes that one day I’ll be able to have you to myself.” 

 “Well, that certainly worked.” 

 “I hate it,” he whispers, shaking his head. “I don’t want to keep our relationship a secret, but I don’t want to hear everyone talking about us. As long as we’re here, we can be honest. We can be ourselves. I want to stay.” 

 H-neun nods. “Then we’ll stay. Not ruling out going back if we think things are going south but… yeah, let’s go for it. We’ll call this stupid school with these stupid kids home. Which means we need to go kick L-elf’s ass into gear.” 


	26. Best Left Unspoken

 “Did you think I was kidding about making you run laps?” H-neun yells across the sports field. The Sakimori students are running and X-eins is forced to sit and watch. He leans on his palm, gazing silently at H-neun as he tells them off. “I told you ten minutes from the end of the lesson. If you’re going to ignore mission timings in the field you’re going to die!”

 “Why are we all running then?!” Rukino calls. “We weren’t late!”

 “Group punishment!” he answers. “You’re a team, aren’t you? If one of your fails, you all fail! Maybe if you all know that Yamada Raizo is the reason you’re all running laps, you’ll be able to convince him to keep track of timings!”

 “Hano,” X-eins says quietly. H-neun glances down at him and X-eins smiles. “Was it Yamada Rizo’s fault?”

 “Yes.”

 “Jealous?”

 H-neun stares down at him for a moment before turning back to the kids and striding away to continue lecturing the kids. For all he’s a slacker at the academy, H-neun takes things seriously. He rarely fails a test, even at Karlstein’s high standards. He takes his education seriously, even if it never seemed like it. They often studied together when they shared a dorm room. He simply doesn’t do well in lecture-style lessons. X-eins did notice H-neun was most often late for lectures. He always seems to enjoy discussion and interactive classes. And the more studious side of H-neun is one that X-eins finds inordinately attractive.

 

 X-eins gets up and follows H-neun, approaching from behind and leaning into his back. H-neun glances back at him and X-eins smiles back. His hands slide down his back and into H-neun’s back pockets. He stiffens slightly and X-eins smiles into the back of his shoulder.

 “X!” H-neun yelps as he squeezes. He jerks around, catching X-eins’ wrists and pulling them face to face. “Now who’s bordering on sexual harassment, X?”

 “You’re always my favourite person too, Hano,” X-eins says.

 H-neun’s eyes widen for a moment before pulling X-eins in and kissing him deeply. X-eins wraps his arms around his shoulders, fingers tangling deep into his hair. Perhaps he does take a little sadistic pleasure in mercilessly teasing Yamada, but he’s not H-neun. He’d never be any kind of threat.

 “Oi!” And there is he. “Can’t you two keep your hands off each other for five seconds?!”

 X-eins opens one eye. The kids are staring. H-neun goes to step away but X-eins tightens his grip in his hair and tipping his head at an angle to let the kids see just how deep the kiss really is. H-neun grips the back of his blazer tighter, pulling him in with a needy groan. He really is so easy to enjoy. As is Yamada. He pulls back slowly, pressing his fingers H-neun’s lips with a small smile. The kids are staring and Yamada has gone bright red.

 “You’re so distracting!” H-neun huffs after a moment, shoving him lightly before turning back to the kids. “I didn’t tell you guys to stop running!”

 “I’ll leave you to your own sadistic tendencies then, Hano,” X-eins says, heading away across the field. He smiles, pausing in front of Yamada, who jerks his head aside. X-eins can’t help himself. He leans in with a small smile, lowering his voice to a soft whisper. “Come to see me after dinner. I’ll be happy to give you a few private lessons.”

 “Yamada Raizo!” H-neun yells as Yamada goes redder. “Get running!”

 “Yamada, stop winding him up!” Tokishima pants.

 “It’s Thunder!”

 “Get running before I add more drills!”

 

 X-eins smiles to himself, sitting on the bleachers, watching the kids being forced to do drills. They’re mild compared to the drills they would run at home, but it’s good enough to make the kids regret being late. And watching H-neun lecturing on the importance of mission timings as they go is a lot of fun.

 “ _I thought it was you_.”

 X-eins doesn’t glance up at the reporter next to him. He doesn’t react as he sits by his side. He’d been hoping to avoid him. And it’s just him. The cameraman and producer have turned up below and are down filming the kids training. Much to Renbokoji Akira’s obvious displeasure. After a moment trying to find behind Rukino and Yamada, she’s given mercy and H-neun dismisses her. The reporter mutters his name and X-eins scowls.

 “ _You’ve grown up._ ”

 “ _It’s fine,_ ” X-eins says, switching the ARUS. “ _I can speak your language. Your accent is terrible._ ”

_“And yours isn’t,”_ he says, switching to ARUS as well. _“I’m glad. Last time I spoke to you two my Dorssian was shaky and while, precocious as you were, your vocabulary was extensive your AURS was nonexistent. Our conversation had to be done through a translator.”_

_“I’m afraid I don’t remember you, although I’ll take your word for it. And I would request you didn’t use that name, especially around the students. I’m X-eins, my partner is H-neun. I’d rather you didn’t mention us at all really.”_

_“Everyone knows there’s a Dorssian refugee here, I didn’t expect it to be you two.”_

_“We only arrived with the team from Earth. L-elf is the one who’s been teaching them.”_

_“Those names. You’re from that rumoured Karlstein Institute?”_ X-eins scowls and adjusts his glasses. _“Every international investigative reporter considers the Karlstein the holy grail. Imagine finally being able to prove Dorssia has a secret and brutal training facility for such young children, stolen from their families and schools and forced to become elite soldiers or face death. You’re a smart boy, aren’t you? You know there’s a reason why it’s kept secret?”_

_“I won’t be answering those questions.”_

_“The fact that you two are here implies you’ve abandoned Dorssia. And we’re all aware they are rather harsh when it comes to punishments for traitors. Why protect them?”_

_“You’re rather annoyingly persistent, are you?”_ X-eins says. _“You haven’t even introduced yourself and I’ve already made it clear I won’t be giving you an interview.”_

_“Burnett,”_ the reporter says. X-eins scowls. _“Perhaps you will indulge me if I offer you a deal, X-eins was it?”_ X-eins tilts his head away. _“Talk to me and I will keep your names and faces from the story. You’ll be anonymous sources. And I won’t mention there’s a pair of Dorssian defectors on Module 77 as well as the original. I’d imagine knowledge that Module 77 is actively taking refugees would see quite a few people attempting to seek a safe haven here, no?”_

_“Perhaps,”_ he replies.

 

 “Everything ok up there, X?” H-neun calls up.

 “It’s fine, Hano,” X-eins calls back. “Dismiss the kids and come sit up here for a bit.”

 H-neun frowns but does as X-eins asks. The kids look just as confused as H-neun but soon he’s coming up the bleachers to sit with him. He glares at Burnett, pushing X-eins aside and placing himself firmly between them. And Burnett laughs a little, making H-neun glare more.

_“He hasn’t changed in the slightest,”_ Burnett says.

 H-neun narrows his eyes. _“Who exactly are you?”_

_“Mr Burnett is the news reporter from ARUS,”_ X-eins explains. H-neun bristles and X-eins lays a hand gently over his. _“He was one of the reporters who covered our story.”_

_“Our story?”_

_“I was going to talk to you about it,”_ he says with a slight nod. _“I don’t really remember much about it either, not much but you and Cain really stuck from back then, however it turns out we were rather instrumental in the revolution.”_

_“We were?”_

_“The world saw two young boys clinging to the second in command of the military coup, how he cared for you and took you in after royal supporters destroyed your entire home,”_ Burnett says, _“and the international support for their cause fell apart. You boys crying on every news outlet quite effectively secured the military state’s success.”_

_“We did that?”_ H-neun turns to X-eins, who smiles back. _“But wait, if you know who we are-”_

_“It’s alright,”_ X-eins says, squeezing his hands. _“Mr Burnett has been very understanding of the situation. He’s aware that there’s a need for discretion. If we talk to him, he’s agreed to keep our identities out of it.”_

_“Why would you agree to that?”_ he snaps.

_“Because without that deal he’d simply put our true names and stories in the report along with news that we’re here.”_ H-neun purses his lips and X-eins gives his hand another gentle squeeze. _“You don’t have to be here if you don’t want to. I won’t make you do anything you’re uncomfortable with.”_

_“How are you comfortable with this?”_

_“I’ll do whatever it takes to protect you like you’ve always protected me.”_

 H-neun’s eyes widen slightly before he lowers his head. X-eins squeezes his hand and H-neun grips back. _“If it’s what you think is for the best, I’ll follow your lead.”_

_“You two really never change,”_ Burnett chuckles and H-neun scowls. _“You still insist on protecting him from the world while he guides you. How about we go for a walk, where people won’t overhear.”_

_“Sir?”_ the cameraman calls.

_“I’m going to take a walk with the kids,”_ he replies.

 “Weren’t we going to talk to L-elf?” H-neun whispers.

 “Deal with the most imminent threat first, Hano,” X-eins replies. “You know that.” H-neun sighs and nods. “You don’t have to be here if you don’t want to.”

 “I’m not leaving you.”

 

 X-eins nods and the three of them head into town. They’d been meaning to look in town anyway. It’s a nice chance to explore. Burnett lets them explore as they like, content to ask inane questions. X-eins thinks he’s trying to gain their trust by not asking anything too forward straight out the gate. And possibly testing how fluent they really are in the language. He throws in words that one wouldn’t generally use in day to day conversation. Luckily their language education was extensive. In many ways they were more well versed in ARUS language, literature and culture than JIORan. ARUS was always considered the enemy, after all. JIOR was just an annoying neutral alliance. It’s as easy to switch their brains to work in ARUS as it was to become natural in JIORan.

 “I had one like this back home,” X-eins sighs, smoothing down a purple hoodie he’s trying on. Typical of H-neun to take him clothes shopping first of all. “You got it for me for my birthday. It was always my favourite.”

 “I always figured you just wore it because it was a gift,” H-neun replies.

 X-eins shakes his head. “No, you picked just right. I loved it. It was always comforting and warm when I was feeling down.”

 “If I’d realised you were that attached I would have packed it for you.”

 “This’ll have to do.”

 “Your defection from Dorssia wasn’t planned then?” Burnett says.

 “Not entirely,” X-eins sighs, pulling off the hoodie and handing it to H-neun to put in the pile of things he wants. “Well, not at all in my case. H-neun had a plan.”

 “Going against the bosses tends to end in being labelled a traitor,” H-neun says with a shrug.

 “We learnt secrets we weren’t supposed to, rather inadvertently,” he explains.

 “Dorssia’s military does have a terrible habit of removing those who learn its secrets,” Burnett says.

 They nod. “H-neun at least realised something was wrong, prepared in case we had to run. Without telling me, I might add.”

 “It was about Cain, you were never going to listen to a word I said,” H-neun replies.

 “You didn’t even try.”

 “I left a note in your locker.”

 “I told you last time, I never got it.” H-neun grins, leaning in an tugging lightly at his ear. “Ow!”

 “You gonna keep that?” X-eins frowns, reaching up to the blue earring. He’d almost forgotten about it. “I’m giving them out everywhere. I’ll need to get some new ones.”

 “Hmm, maybe you should get me one to match your hair,” X-eins muses, “then I’ll give it back.”

 “Sounds like a good deal.”

 

 “You two seem rather well adjusted,” Burnett says. “Despite everything you’ve been through. I’ve seen a lot of soldiers broken by what they’ve gone through. Who can think of nothing but Dorssia and war. You two would be well within your rights to be rather screwed up by everything you’ve been through in your childhood.”

 “Are we not?” H-neun laughs.

 “You sound like those kids,” X-eins says. “We’re victims of Dorssia as much as anyone, right?”

 “Bullshit. We’re not victims. We’re soldiers.”

 Burnett smiles at them and X-eins does up his school tie again. “I’m afraid we’re not the most sympathetic subjects, Mr Burnett.”

 “Do you think so?” Burnett replies. “I think you’re fascinating subjects the world would love to hear about. You were media darlings in your youth, who’s to say you wouldn’t be now? You could easily sway the entire world as you have before. You shouldn’t underestimate the power of the media. Once this war is over,one way or another, you should let me tell your story to the world. Tragic children of Dorssia’s wars finding their way in the world.”

 “You make it sound far more romantic than it ever was,” X-eins says.

 They pack the clothes and shoes X-eins has picked out into bags, H-neun picks up a few new accessories and new earrings, and head out into the city once more.

 

 “Last time I saw you two was at Amadeus’ ceremony,” Burnett says. “You were clinging to Cain even as you were thanked for your services on stage in front of the world. You didn’t have any interest in anyone but Cain.”

 “I don’t remember any of that,” X-eins says.

 “I do,” H-neun laughs. “It’s the first time we met A-drei.”

 “I don’t remember meeting A-drei until years after that.”

 “He wasn’t A-drei back then. Besides, you’ve barely noticed anything that wasn’t Cain for twelve years. I don’t think A-drei remembers either.”

 “Why do you?”

 H-neun shrugs.

 “You were preparing to head off to a prestigious military academy,” Burnett tells them. “You were incredibly excited. Cain was telling me how proud he was of you two. How did that go? I didn’t hear much from you after that. I got the feeling they were trying to hide you.”

 “I’m told we were targets of the royalists,” X-eins says. “It’s very possible they were trying to hide us.”

 “I kept tabs on you as bet I could,” he says. “You were of interest, Dorssia was still slightly unbalanced and I was rather certain if I followed you closely enough there was a story. If nothing else, I would have a story of a pair of children growing up in the civil war. And then, two years later, the two of you died in a road accident.”

 “Is that how we died?” H-neun muses.

 “You were mourned, naturally. The piece talking about how such sweet young boys who survived so much died in such a mundane, everyday accident got a waves of response and sympathy.”

 “And they didn’t care,” he murmurs. “Cain was right.”

 

 X-eins frowns and Burnett glances at him. He’s got a strange, wistful and bitter smile on his lips. And then he realises exactly what H-neun means. _His parents._ H-neun’s parents weren’t a part of their little town. X-eins hadn’t realised what he meant at the time, he hadn’t realised it until so recently, but Cain had told H-neun his parents were either dead or didn’t care. Their faces had been broadcast across the world, their story told to everyone who would listen, they’d stood next to the new ruler of Dorssia and they had been declared dead just a few years later, but there was never any sign of H-neun’s parents throughout any of it.

 Cain was right. They were dead or they didn’t care.

 “You don’t know that,” X-eins murmurs, instead of letting such dark thoughts overwhelm them. “If you think about it, they might have wanted to find you. How could they have ever got close with Cain guarding us? We were under his care. They would never have stood a chance.”

 H-neun frowns and tilts his head. “I suppose… that is true…”

 “How about, after all this, we’ll find them? So you can find out the truth for yourself.”

 “You boys have someone you want to find?” Burnett says.

 “My parents,” H-neun replies. Burnett frowns but X-eins doesn’t miss his eyes lighting up at the hint of the story. “My parents weren’t in the town when it was destroyed. I don’t really remember them, but I know they sent me out to the country to keep me safe. Cain said, when he first took us in, that they were either dead or didn’t care. I guess that makes even more sense knowing it was all over the news. But X is right, with Cain watching us they couldn’t get close even if they wanted to. And if they thought I was dead, that explains why they haven’t tried to find me since. See, X, this is why you’re the ideas guy.”

 X-eins sighs and tilts his head. H-neun really is ridiculous. He’s definitely not the ideas guy just because he realised any attempt to get near them would be thwarted by Cain. Anyone should have been able to figure out that. He imagines the only reason H-neun hasn’t is because he’s too involved. They’re his parents, after all.

 “I’m sure we can look into it once things have settled and you’re comfortable talking to the press,” Burnett says.

 “Assuming he’s willing to give you the story?” X-eins replies.

 “I don’t even know if I’d wanna meet them if they were alive at this point,” H-neun sighs. X-eins frowns. “I’ve managed this long without them. I don’t remember them. They’d just be strangers.” He frowns and X-eins tilts his head as H-neun takes his hand. “And… they’re…”

 “They’re the enemy?” he says. H-neun nods. “I don’t remember ever saying this was going to be easy. Family relationships are hard enough without having to deal with morality and war. All that is assuming they’re even out there. Let’s just keep taking things one step at a time. We’ve got to survive first.” H-neun nods slightly but has obviously stopped listening. “You want a new bike?”

 “I left mine back home,” he argues.

 

 Suddenly X-eins is being tugged away to the window of a shop so H-neun can look at the bikes. He had an entire wall of his dorm room dedicated to his bike and various bits and pieces X-eins doesn’t care to pay attention to. But H-neun is still holding his hand, squeezing enthusiastically as he talks about parts he wants. X-eins smiles and nods a long fondly like he cares to understand. He can’t help thinking about how H-neun listened to him talk about books that were of little interest to him, simply for the sake of listening to him talk about things he was passionate about. And seeing the sunniness he’s always remembered and loved in H-neun’s eyes as he talks, he understands why.

 Burnett is watching with a fond smile too, if slightly calculating. Everything they do is being memorised and will no doubt be noted down later for a potential future story. They’re nothing more than a potential award winning story to him. X-eins smiles bitterly. They’re just pawns to everyone. Pieces to be used. That’s what L-elf meant. Burnett, L-elf, Kriemhild and Colonel Cain. Even their Cain. They’re just pieces to be used for a cause.

 “What’s wrong?” H-neun says quietly.

 X-eins smiles and shakes his head. “Nothing.”

 

 It’s afternoon by the time they get back from shopping - H-neun is determined he’s going to get a new bike at some stage and X-eins should take up biking rather than horse riding as if he can’t do both - and they manage to shake Burnett at last. They head back to their room, putting their bags away and starting to unpack. X-eins is glad it’s quiet and homely that they can start making this module somewhere they could actually stay if they have to.

 “So, what’s with you and Yamada Raizo?” H-neun says as they’re changing into something more casual. X-eins pulls on the purple hoodie he’d picked up. It’s not the same, he’d rather had the one H-neun had bought him back home but it’ll do. “Honestly?”

 X-eins frowns and tilts his head. “He’s fun to tease. You’re right, I’m a sadist.”

 “You want something with him?” he says. X-eins scowls, jerking around to glare at him. “What? You’re human, you’re allowed to look at other guys. You’re allowed to want other guys. I’m not so insecure I think you’re going to leave me the second some other guy blushes at your attention. Just be honest with me.”

 “I…” He frowns and tilts his head away but H-neun cups his cheeks gently, tipping his head back to gaze up at him. “H-neun, I’m not-”

 “You’re the kinda guy who knows what you want, X,” he says with a gentle smile. “Do you think I can’t handle you wanting someone else? I’ve wanted you for years, X. I’ve been mad about you forever. I’ve watched you with other men. I’ve seen you on dates, you’ve had three serious boyfriends and it’s not been a big deal.”

 “I’ve only ever had three serious boyfriends,” X-eins mutters. “You’ve felt like this for that long?”

 H-neun laughs a little. “Well… I mean, I didn’t really realise until a bit later but… I always got sorta jealous. I sorta told myself it was just part of growing up to notice you and we were already close and… it wasn’t ‘til I got involved with another man for the first time I realised it might be more but…”

 “But?”

 “You remember that time I walked in on you and K-zwei?”

 X-eins cheeks burn. “Vividly.”

 It was humiliating. It was obvious H-neun knew he liked men and had boyfriends, despite still asking him out on double dates with him. Perhaps, looking back, that was an excuse to take him on dates. But K-zwei was X-eins’ second boyfriend. He was another Karlstein graduate, a year older. They’d known him since they were young so moving into a relationship wasn’t that hard. There wasn’t much of the awkward getting to know each other phase. H-neun always had his room codes. He’d walked in without considering any issue, talking about some girl who’d agreed to go out with him at last, only to realise his mistake. X-eins had been on his knees between K-zwei’s thighs, his length in his mouth and utterly mortified for his best friend to see him in such a position. Things had been incredibly awkward over the next few days.

 “That night was when I really understood how I felt about you,” H-neun murmurs. “That was the first time I got off to fantasies of you. Seeing you like that… I couldn’t get it out my head. I wanted that with you. And I kept thinking about it and…” He laughs breathlessly and X-eins smiles, stroking his cheeks gently. He’s getting aroused just thinking about it apparently. “I couldn’t look at you for a few days, I was so ashamed. I’m not even sure why but it felt wrong to have done that while thinking about you.”

 “You’re such an idiot,” X-eins laughs. He kisses him lightly and H-neun smiles. “I don’t know what happened between me and Yamada Raizo when he possessed you. L-elf so kindly drugged me and it’s rather blank. I want answers. And you’re right, he is - physically at least - the kind of man I am often interested in.There is a tension and curiosity, and I think you’re right about him having a crush on me. But you’re who I want and who I’m with.”

 “I know. I’m not gonna lose to a dumb thug like him. I just, you know, wanted you to tell me the truth and know that I’m here for you.”

 “I’ll stop if it bothers you. You’re not flirting with Kriemhild because I-”

 “It doesn’t bother me. I stopped with Kriemhild because I know it bothers you, more because of what she is rather than who she is, I think, but that doesn’t mean I’m gonna stop noticing beautiful women, or stop flirting. Might tone it down a bit for you, no more dates, but I’m not going to not be me. I’ll tell you if it bothers me, ok? I just wanted to know.”

 “Alright.”

 “But just teasing. Don’t do anything with him.”

 “Of course not.”

 “And don’t lead him on, that’s cruel.”

 “I know.” He smiles and steps away, heading towards the door. “Come on, we were supposed to seeing what can be done about L-elf. I’ll fulfill your fantasies later.”

 

 H-neun takes a moment to catch up in the hallway, grinning ear to ear. “Really?”

 “You sound surprised,” X-eins says. “I know you rather enjoy my more dominant side, but if you’ve harboured such fantasies for so long, I see no reason not to indulge them while we can. I hope I live up to your expectations.”

 “You’re amazing, you know that?” H-neun laughs.

 “It’s been mentioned.” He smiles over at H-neun who grins back. “How did you realise you were bisexual?” H-neun frowns. “What?”

 “Nothing,” he says, smiling returning. “That’s just the first time I’ve ever really thought about it like that? It’s weird, I guess, but I always just considered myself straight.”

 “You’re aware of the definition of hetrosexual, aren’t you? I think our relationship and your previous intimate relations prove you don’t fit that definition.”

 “Shut up, I said it was weird. It was just never something I thought about.”

 “Despite having sexual fantasies about me since at least sixteen?”

 “Shut up, ok. Labels are dumb.” X-eins laughs softly, fingers sliding loosely between H-neun’s. “We were fourteen. I was hanging back in the locker room avoiding a history lecture. One of the older boys came in, told me off for skipping classes, I thought he was just gonna march me off to class and you’d tell me off for being late.”

 “Hano...?”

 H-neun laughs and waves his hand dismissively. “Nothing like that, X. Come on, I was actually present and on time for the lecture on consent and sexual harassment. And I’m not gonna give you some story about how I felt something when I was assaulted even if it was like that. I know that’s not how it works. It wasn’t like that. We just… he said if I wanted to skip class and have fun we should have fun. I told him I wasn’t into guys, he laughed, said if I wasn’t into guys I was doing a pretty good impression of someone who was.”

 “Those stupid rumours again?” X-eins sighs.

 “Something like that. But… we got chatting anyway, just sitting there in the locker room. Not like anyone was using it. And we were pretty good friends anyway. While we were talking, he put his hand on my knee. Told me I should relax. There was nothing wrong with trying something new. I might be surprised.”

 “Really? And you just went with it?”

 “Like I said, he was my friend,” he replies with a shrug. “He was a bit older, we’d known him a while, I trusted him. So… I figured… I mean, if I didn’t feel anything, I could say I tried it and didn’t feel anything, nothing lost, right? I could say with confidence I didn’t like guys and people couldn’t say I’d never tried. Which I maintain is a dumb way of doing things anyway. I’ve never been poisoned before but I’m pretty sure I don’t wanna be.”

 “I’m not sure the two are comparable but ok.”

 “We spent most the lesson making out,” he says with a weak laugh.

 X-eins laughs softly. “I should have tried that, hmm?”

 “Ah, you were dating at the time,” H-neun replies. “Besides, you’ve only just figured out you have a thing for me.”

 “And you say I’m the one who knows what I want,” X-eins says with a smile. He sighs and tucks his arms behind his back. “K-zwei has only just come back on duty. Do you think he’s hunting us?”

 

 H-neun frowns. “He was always the big one, huh?”

 “The big one?”

 “He’s the one who mattered. He’s the one you always think about. The first one was just you figuring things out and the third one was a rebound. K-zwei was the one who mattered.”

 “He was my first love,” X-eins murmurs.

 “Thought that was me.”

 “He was my first romantic love.” X-eins smiles wistfully, taking H-neun’s hand and squeezing lightly. “I was going to go all the way with him.”

 “Somehow I’m not surprised,” H-neun murmurs. X-eins frowns. “You and him really were madly in love. I was so jealous. I wanted you to look at me like that.”

 “Hano…”

 H-neun laughs and tilts his head away. “He didn’t deserve you.”

 “I thought you two were friends,” X-eins says. “I mean, you two always seemed like really good friends, actually. You spent lots of time together. You were as devastated as anyone when he was injured. I was really worried about both of you, you know. If it had been the other way around...”

 H-neun frowns and nods. It’s a strange look X-eins isn’t quite sure what to make of. Complicated and sad. He thought K-zwei and H-neun were good friends. They always seemed close. They were similar in many ways. K-zwei would put his arms around H-neun’s shoulder, lean against him, ruffle his hair while leaning in for a kiss from X-eins. He never got jealous that X-eins wanted to still spend time with his best friend, he was happy to spend time with him too. X-eins lost track of how many times the three of them would sit together in the quiet common rooms or in one of their rooms, X-eins cuddled up in K-zwei’s arms reading while they chatted.

 “Perhaps we should have just made it a threesome,” he muses. H-neun stops, face going a little pale. X-eins frowns and squeezes his hand. He’s shaking. He’s never seen H-neun like this. He squeezes H-neun’s hand tighter, stepping closer and cupping his cheek. “Hano? It was just a joke. What’s wrong?” H-neun doesn’t seem to be listening. “ _H-neun?_ ”

 “Nothing,” H-neun laughs, stepping away. “It’s nothing.”

 

 X-eins doesn’t move and pulls H-neun back to a stop. As if he’s going to just let H-neun walk away after that! He tugs H-neun back and wraps his arms gently around him. After a moment, H-neun sighs and leans against his shoulder.

 “I’m sorry,” X-eins says. “I didn’t mean it.”

 “Would you go back to him?” H-neun whispers.

 “No,” he replies firmly, shaking his head. H-neun is oddly insecure this afternoon. “No, I’m with you.”

 “You always go back to him,” he says.

 “No!” X-eins steps back and presses their mouths together desperately. How can H-neun think that? Maybe he has always felt a connection to K-zwei, even now but he’s no threat to H-neun. He won’t let him go. He won’t let him be insecure over his relationship with anyone. “I’m sorry, Hano. I’m sorry.”

 “No… don’t be sorry,” H-neun laughs weakly. “It’s not a big deal.”

 “It is rather insensitive to be talking about my ex, isn’t it?” X-eins says with an apologetic smile. “I didn’t mean… I thought you two were friends. You always seemed so close. Some days I thought I should worry you and him were a better match.” H-neun shakes his head, squeezing X-eins’ hands tightly. “And maybe I do still feel something for him but I love you!” H-neun’s head jerks up and X-eins’ grip on his hands tightens. “...I love you…”

 “X… you…”

 X-eins’ pulls back faster than he really means to. “Um… let’s just… let’s try to forget that bit…”

 “I’d rather not,” H-neun says, reaching for his hands again. “X-”

 “Just forget it,” he snaps, jerking back. “It’s stupid.”

 “No it’s not.” X-eins shakes his head and H-neun sighs. “I think we’re both getting kinda over emotional here. Let’s just try to calm down and not get too out of control, right?” X-eins nods. “Let’s just… go deal with L-elf and we can talk about everything later when we've had a bit of breathing space from K-zwei and the past and other sensitive subjects.”

 “Yeah. Yeah, good idea.”

 X-eins isn’t even sure why he’s reacting like this. What’s wrong with saying he loves H-neun? He’s been in love with H-neun for years. They’ve told each other they love each other since they were kids. They’ve always been closer than anyone else. It’s not a big deal, is it? So why does it feel like it is? Maybe Cain’s warnings are still getting to him. Maybe it’s playing on H-neun’s mind too. Maybe that’s his problem with K-zwei. Maybe they’re both afraid of what comes next. They’ll deal with that once they’re done with L-elf though.

**Author's Note:**

> I regret a lot about watching this show and writing this fic. Mainly the mistake of shipping the dead guys! So, you know that had to be fixed.


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